Alex Neil: 'No reason why Norwich City cannot go up automatically'

Norwich City manager Alex Neil has said that there is "no reason" why Norwich City cannot be one of the two automatically-promoted clubs from the Championship this term.

With seven games of the season remaining, the Canaries are fourth in the table but just three points behind leaders Bournemouth.

When Neil, 33, succeeded Neil Adams in January, Norwich were outside of the playoffs and a long way off the top two.

"Realistically, I'm not sure automatic [promotion] was on the cards [when I took over]," he told the club website. "However, we knew if we gained a bit of momentum, we could have crept in.

"At this stage now it's certainly up for grabs with seven games to go. There's no reason why we can't be one of the top two and it's about how much we want to get promoted as a group.

"The hard work starts now. Everything we've done to this point has given us an opportunity."

The Championship is currently in the middle of an international break, but Norwich are soon in action when they face Brighton & Hove Albion on Good Friday.