Dean Smith has no regrets at taking on Norwich City’s Premier League survival battle as he looks to build a siege mentality in his Canaries’ squad.

Smith was out of work for barely a week following his departure from Aston Villa before he replaced Daniel Farke at Carrow Road.

A bright start has given way to six straight top flight defeats, ahead of Everton’s visit, which has seen City ridiculed in some quarters.

“I'm not bothered about what people outside think,” said Smith. “Everybody will have an opinion, rightly or wrongly. We know what goes on inside this football club. We know how hard we work.

"We've certainly spoken in the dressing room about having a siege mentality at the moment, because we understand we're going to come in for criticism. You have to get on with that.

"But we want that siege mentality where we come out and fight and try and prove people wrong.

“We know the restrictions we were under for three of the previous six games, with illness or injury. We've got players back, or coming back, and we now need to prove what we are about.”

Smith himself felt compelled to publicly defend his troops, prior to the midweek defeat at West Ham, from the ‘sarcastic’ tone of a minority of City’s travelling support during previous games.

“We'd never run away from criticism. But when some of it is over the top, which I feel it has been, I felt I needed to voice my opinion and support the players,” he said.

“A lot of people never know what's actually happening at a football club, because they just look at results rather than the actual day to day running of a football club.

“It's been a tough period. I’m not going to lie and say it's been an easy period. It has been tough, having to deal with the Covid situation and injuries. But I do a job that I love.

"And I believe I'm good at it, and I believe that we can turn this around. More importantly, the players need to believe that as well.

“I would say I'm actually enjoying the challenge. I don't enjoy losing, but it's an unbelievable role that I've got and to be a Premier League manager is a privilege.

"You have to work hard every day, because the challenges are there for all to see. It's tough for all of us if you're not winning football games.”