Shane Duffy believes that the battle scars of Norwich City's bleak autumn has bound the squad closer together as they make one final push for the Premier League. 

City have three more matches to secure their top six spot to set up a play-off campaign that they hope would finish an extraordinary season with a happy ending. 

After a difficult autumn that led to serious questions about head coach David Wagner and his players, after Norwich slipped to 17th in the table, they have put together a stunning run of form to rise up the division. 

Those battle scars have been harnessed in a way to prove those who wrote them off wrong - and Duffy thinks it will be an edge that other sides are lacking when the going gets tough in the coming weeks. 

"I've been in the dressing room for a year now, and it's probably more confident because of the low times that we had, and we've come through that. I think we've got a really good mixture - but it's alright saying that, we've got to get the job done.

"We want to win every game," Duffy said."We were disappointed about [Sheffield Wednesday]. We threw late goals in after battering Sheffield Wednesday.

"We wanted seven points with beating Ipswich in there. It's a really good week and the results you see over this week, it's unpredictable. Seven points from nine is a really good week."

Duffy is determined to ensure that there is no letting up should Norwich secure their spot in the coming weeks with promotion the ultimate aim. 

"That's the standards we're driving around the place, not just finishing in the play-offs, but we want to be a Premier League team, and that means we have to beat teams and show quality.

"The end goal is to get to the Premier League. It's not good enough to just be in the play-offs. We want to get out of this league, and that is the standard and mentality the lads and the manager have had.

"It's disappointing when we only draw to Sheff Wednesday instead of taking it as a positive because that is the standards we drive.

"Everyone is pushing because we want to be a Premier League team."

Across the Championship at present, at all ends of the table, nerves are affecting the title, the play-offs and moving away from relegation. 

Eastern Daily Press: Shane Duffy has full faith that Norwich City's dressing room can finish the job.Shane Duffy has full faith that Norwich City's dressing room can finish the job. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

Those who have success during this period are the ones who achieve consistency in performances and manage to extract points even in situations where they are underpar in matches. 

Norwich have taken seven points from their last three matches and, coupled with an inconsistency from the likes of Hull and Coventry, has allowed them to tighten their grip on the top six. 

That adversity earlier in the season and ability to navigate choppy waters is something Duffy thinks has aided their cause - with pressure being an all too familiar concept for the City dressing room in recent months. 

"People call it the best league in the world, but it's actually crazy," the defender said. "Sometimes you are like 'they're going to win' and 'they're going to beat them' but it doesn't happen.

"Blackburn beat Leeds and they lost 5-0 last week, it's crazy. I think the best teams who get out of the league are the ones who can handle the pressure at the end.

"We look in our dressing room, and we've got an experienced group and a lot of youth as well who can drive us when we're knackered. We've got a really good mix.

"It's about who can handle the pressure at this stage of the season, and I feel like we've got a really good squad for that."

Norwich are also boosted by the timely return of winger Jon Rowe, who injected energy, enthusiasm and quality into the final quarter of their 1-0 victory at Preston. 

Eastern Daily Press: Norwich have welcomed back winger Jon Rowe.Norwich have welcomed back winger Jon Rowe. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

The mission now is to build up his fitness ahead of what City hope will be a play-off campaign when a moment of individual quality may prove the difference between winning and losing. Duffy has said his comeback has been a welcome boost to the squad. 

"He's been great. He's kept himself lively around the place. He's not kept his head down, and he's supported the boys," Duffy said. 

"Delighted that he's come on there, and he gave us a little bit of energy. For a player like that to come in for the run in to the play-offs is all good for us."