Teemu Pukki is a ‘manager’s dream' and Dean Smith is delighted he appears happy to stay at Norwich City.

The Canaries’ head coach made it clear after Pukki’s ninth Premier League goal of the season helped beat Burnley last weekend the club will exercise a 12 month option on the striker.

Pukki himself confirmed this week he is still enjoying life at Carrow Road, and happy to put questions on his immediate future to bed.

City head to Manchester United on Saturday bidding to keep alive their hopes of a Premier League ‘great escape’ - and Pukki is a key part of that bid.

“Really pleased that he sees himself here as well,” said Smith. “He is one of those players who gives the manager no problems at all, in terms of how he trains, and he's ready to play every Saturday.

"I can honestly say he gives me no headaches, apart from when he has had Covid, which has been quite a number of times. But he's a really good guy, and I think his goalscoring record speaks volumes.

“We have to believe we can still do this. I'm a realist and I also know how difficult it's going to be. There are no cheap points in the Premier League, we're travelling to Old Trafford next, or the 'Theatre of Dreams’, and what a tough place it is to go.

"But we've got that renewed confidence. Let's try and climb that mountain, and see if we can do what people have already said is not doable.”

Pukki’s prowess in front of goal against the Clarets was matched by a landmark career strike in the Premier League from Pierre Lees-Melou.

!He is a good finisher. You only have to look at his goals scored throughout his career to know that he's good finisher,” said Smith. “He probably hasn't taken the chances that he's had this season.

"So it's nice for him score that first goal. I joked with him he needs to work on his celebration. But he did say to me he is too old for all that.

“It was a really important three points, because it was against a team that were in the bottom three with us. You can probably see the confidence in training sessions, as well as the bounce that winning in the Premier League can give you.

"When you lose games, it's very difficult to bounce back and keep the positivity going because it's a tough time.

"To be fair to the players they've kept working hard, and getting four points from the last two has given them a big lift.”