David Wagner has warned his Norwich City squad not to develop tunnel vision when it comes to monitoring their Championship progress. 

The Canaries are amongst a clutch of sides hoping to emerge from the pack to finish inside the top six - but their Boxing Day defeat to West Brom saw them fall to 12th. 

In spite of that, Norwich are just two points behind Sunderland in sixth with a testing run of fixtures ahead of them. City are yet to beat a side in the top six this season. 

Whilst supporters are monitoring the league position and assessing City's prospects of being in the play-offs come May, Wagner has warned his players not to look beyond Friday's trip to Millwall. 

"I've learned not to look at the table in the Championship," Wagner said. "This confuses you and costs you energy. There are so many twists and turns.

"I make sure that myself, and this is how I like to prepare my players for, only look to the next fixture. Take it game by game because every weekend you see there are results that make you think, 'how can this happen?'.

"The truth is that, in this division, everyone is competitive and everyone can beat anyone. You have to make sure that your thoughts are not too far away in the future or stay too long in the past - just take the next game."

City's Boxing Day defeat ended a run of one defeat in eight matches that helped stabilise their season after a testing autumn. 

The Pink Un: Norwich City's run of one defeat in eight ended on Boxing Day at West Brom.Norwich City's run of one defeat in eight ended on Boxing Day at West Brom. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

Norwich have averaged a points per game of over two in their five encounters - but must shake off fears that they are a streaky side by returning to winning ways. 

Wagner is keen to ensure that the loss of momentum doesn't impact his side over a busy festive period. 

"We immediately said this in the dressing room," he said post-match at The Hawthorns. "What hurts is the defeat and that the unbeaten run is over.

"What it means is that we have to build another run. This is what we like to do starting in three days time."