Norwich City v Ipswich Town: David Wagner's match preview

Should the Canaries avoid defeat to Kieran McKenna's high-fliers, it would take the run since their last defeat to the Suffolk side to over 15 years. That is among the prizes on offer should they find a victory at Carrow Road on Saturday lunchtime. 

That record has been the source of pride and handed Norwich the bragging rights in this fixture since 2009. Ipswich are looking for a derby day win as the latest scalp in their surge of achievements in recent seasons. 

For David Wagner, talk of preserving any record is just background noise, and this is just the latest game in their pursuit of the top six. His mission is about ensuring the balance between fire and calm is correct among his group of players. 

"To be totally honest, as much pressure as we faced in this season, I think nobody and nothing can destroy this group," Wagner said at his pre-match press conference on Thursday. 

"It was a little bit the same noise that we had when we faced them four months ago the first time. It doesn't change and this record is something that adds flavour to this derby in this moment, but at the end of the day, it's a game. A super important game.

"I said after the first one that in a game like this, the league table, the current form, home or away, doesn't really count.

"It's a different game and a different situation. It's super important to be calm but full of energy and fire in your heart, and I think we dealt with this quite well in the first leg.

"The biggest difference is that we play it at home. This is something that we would like to make count."

Ipswich's form has been impressive. The job McKenna has done rightly lauded, and to take parachute payment trio Leicester City, Leeds United and Southampton to the final furlong for automatic promotion is worthy of acclaim, even if begrudgingly from those of a yellow and green persuasion. 

It is the second game in succession where City are pitted against a top-of-the-table side - the first of which was a passive 3-1 defeat to Leicester on Easter Monday. 

Wagner was quick to write that off as an off-day as he seeks a response in the biggest occasion of City's Championship campaign to date. 

"It's like always, we like to make sure that we do our stuff to the highest level even if we respect our opponent - this is what we will do on Saturday.

"We have to make sure that we play to our pattern, to our strengths and we saw on Monday that it doesn't always work, they are humans, but the idea was exactly the same. Before Monday, I think (the idea) worked quite good.

David Wagner is hoping for a first derby day win as Norwich City boss. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

"Now it's about resetting again and showing everyone - there is no better opportunity than a Saturday, 12.30pm kick-off in a local derby that we are better than what we have shown in the last game.

"This is a super opportunity and we know it's an important and big game," he said. "Another big one. Maybe bigger than the others ones, but all the others were big as well.

"The truth is, it's about the three points. I'm keen on three points whoever the opponent would have been, but it's our rival which makes it more exciting.

"Three points are on the table, with our crowd, who will play a big part in getting the positive energy into the stadium—this is something we have to make count."

Town's juggernaut kept rolling with the punches by completing an Easter weekend maximum courtesy of Jeremy Sarmiento's 97th winner in a 3-2 victory over Russell Martin's Southampton to ensure they begin derby day at the Championship's summit. 

City, meanwhile, haven't lost at Carrow Road since November and are vying to extend their winning run at home to eight matches. 

It is an East Anglian derby that holds major significance for both sides' respective campaigns. The stakes haven't been higher since a two-legged tussle in the 2015 play-offs that Norwich edged. 

But if proof is need of derbies throwing up unexpected surprises, then Wagner would point to the last meeting between the sides in December, when a Jonny Rowe inspired Norwich emerged with a point against the odds, form and league table. 

"I've experienced a few derbies, and this was the first East Anglian one. To be fair, nothing surprised me.

"The atmosphere was fantastic; Saturday has to be even better from our side. So, come on, Norwich supporters, play your part.

David Wagner wants Norwich City's support to bring the noise at Carrow Road. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

"(The first game) was not something where you were able to judge it before or on the form - if you did, not a lot of things happened that many people expected. This is exactly how you have to approach it but make sure everyone is calm in their heads and sees that it is about three points.

"The biggest difference between the first time we met them and now is that we play this one at home. This difference everyone has to feel. If this is the case, I know that we can be uncomfortable for every opponent, 100pc."

"The ultimate aim is clear, but this is a step to reach this aim. This is how we see it and how we approach it. It's a super exciting step, a step at home, and this is why we are really looking forward to it."