CHRIS LAKEY Jim Duffy has called for the Canaries to call on the memory of their Carling Cup game against Manchester City to help lift them against one of the Championship title favourites today.

CHRIS LAKEY

Jim Duffy has told the Canaries to call on the memory of their Carling Cup game against Manchester City to help lift them against one of the Championship title favourites.

City travel to the Hawthorns to take on a free-scoring West Bromwich Albion side with an unbeaten home record which has helped take them to fourth place in the Championship on the back of 25 goals in their 12 games - the best in the division.

It would appear to be another bridge too far for City, who have drawn one and lost six of their last seven games - scoring just twice in the process. But caretaker manager Duffy says the team should take heart from their performance at the City of Manchester Stadium in September when they were beaten by a goal in the 90th minute.

"Against better teams you sometimes get to an added level because you know you have to get to that level, so you really have to respond to it," said Duffy.

"One of our best performances was at Manchester City in the cup, when we were not playing very well. We went there and played excellently, and Man City are a revelation in the Premier League.

"You have to lift yourself when you play good teams and that's what we expect the players to do when we play West Brom."

City go to the Midlands on the back of a terrible run of form which has seen them slump to second from bottom of the table, but Duffy says there will be no defeatist attitude by his battered and shell-shocked players.

"Not at all - if you think, 'oh well, we're expected to lose so it doesn't matter if we do lose, you shouldn't be in the game," he said. "You go into every game believing you can win and determined to win.

"That's what football is about. Football is about the unexpected in the face of adversity. The job is easy when things are going well."

The Baggies are odds on to inflict defeat number nine on City this season in their 13th game - and Duffy admits he still has Tony Mowbray's side down as one of the best in the league.

"I haven't really changed my opinion that much," he said. "I think that they have always been a very talented side. Last year - certainly since I came here - they were the best side to watch.

"I watched them a couple of weeks ago against QPR and they were different class. They're a very strong side in terms of the quality they have and strength of squad they have got. They have real quality."