Norwich City can take some kind of comfort from the fact that Ipswich manager and players will be under considerable pressure come Sunday.

Unable to string any kind of form together and presently running three losses on the trot, Roy Keane is desperate to give the supporters something to cheer about.

The players will feel it, as well. If Norwich scores the first goal there is every chance that Ipswich supporters will make their feelings known.

Especially the local derby, where winning thiese two fixtures can make up for a lousy season otherwise.

Keane has been on the receiving end of vocal discontent recently as his ideas and plans have resulted in the three-match losing run.

"We know what it means to the supporters," he told BBC Radio Suffolk.

"Everyone's been frustrated the last two or three weeks and we need to give them a positive performance and hopefully a good result."

He also knows his job could be on the line. Lose any game and you are in trouble, but lose to your local rivals when everything else is going against you, and you can start looking in the Jobs Vacant columns.

All of this, of course, plays right into Paul Lambert's hands. Unable to be in the dug out, due to a two match touch line ban recently imposed, he can send his players out with the simple advice that they only need to play their normal game. Ipswich will be the ones making unforced errors, so be ready to exploit them.

They say that the form book goes out the window for derby games. This time it looks as though it will hamg around and haunt Ipswich.

Photo: Action Images

Norwich City Polls