Alex Neil plays down pressure of East Anglian derby with Ipswich Town

Norwich City manager Alex Neil has suggested that his side are not under any extra pressure ahead of the East Anglian derby with Ipswich Town.

Matches between the two rivals are usually hotly contested, but Neil has indicated that he is more concerned with the club's league position as they look to earn a playoff spot.

The Canaries currently sit in eighth place in the Championship - seven points off a top-six spot - and Neil has suggested that he is fully focused on repeating their recent good form over their next half-a-dozen outings.

He is quoted by The Pink Un as saying: "There is always pressure around a derby but there is pressure anyway with the league situation. The pleasing thing, excluding the disappointment at Burton, is we are not just chasing one team. Leeds have had a wee sticky patch and that has allowed us to chase them and Sheffield Wednesday.

"If it was just one club you would be heavily reliant on them not picking up results. With it being two teams it makes it more interesting.

"Every team from now until the end is not going to win every game. We need to ensure our run from here on is considerably better than one of those other teams. We have got to put a similar run together as the recent one, which is winning maybe four games in six. We have to do that in the next six and then re-assess where that takes you."

The reverse fixture at Portman Road in August ended in a 1-1 draw.