Paul Lambert has challenged Norwich City to prove just how far they have come in Sunday's televised Premier League test against Wigan (4pm).

City earned a hard-fought point on the opening day at the DW Stadium, since when both clubs have headed in opposite directions.

'I think we've done great since that first game. I don't think anybody envisaged this would happen – it's been incredible, what the lads have done,' he said. 'I've got nothing but admiration for the way the team has gone about it, picked up points away from home, which has been great.

'At home we've been great – we've always been in a game. We've never let ourselves down. We've always made a fight of a game and for where the lads have come from, they deserve every bit of credit that's coming their way. They're sitting in mid-table at the minute and if we win on Sunday we can go again, up a couple, and I've got nothing but praise for them.'

Lambert warns two consecutive top flight defeats should eradicate any hint of complacency with survival still the primary objective.

'That can happen. Especially in this league,' he said. 'We played really against Manchester United and lost at the death. At Stoke we never looked like scoring, but neither did they and that had 0-0 all over it. There is certainly no issue with confidence. We will re-group. The pressure is always here. It's only pressure if you put it on yourself. It's the same whether you play a team at the top or the bottom – you try to win. No-one should be under any illusions that it is one of the hardest ones we face because everyone expects Wigan to turn up, being bottom of the league, and lose.'

Lambert whisked his squad off to southern Spain earlier this week in a bid to ensure they are ready to scale the final Premier League run-in.

'Yeah, we went away. The lads worked really hard and we hope they come back refreshed and are ready for Sunday,' he said. 'We did it last year as well, came back and I felt it was a major help to us. I think the weather has been really poor here, they went and got some sun, but they worked really hard – which is the most important thing. We trained and had a bit of free time. They were great, the lads, they're a really close group. I hope it will stand us in good stead.'