Alex Neil insists the time has come for his Norwich City frontmen to step up and fire the Canaries to Premier League safety.

The Scot admits City's goal output at the top of the pitch needs to improve quickly, with four-goal midfielder Nathan Redmond eclipsing the likes of Dieumerci Mbokani, Cameron Jerome and the recently recalled Lewis Grabban. Norwich come face-to-face with Everton's 11-goal predator Romelu Lukaku at Carrow Road this coming weekend, but Neil is backing his strikeforce to prove their class.

'It helps any team if you have someone in your side capable of scoring double figures, it gives you a great opportunity to win games, said Neil. 'Regardless of who is up front if you don't put the service in the box it is difficult for any striker. I think we have three or four who are capable of scoring goals in the squad at the moment. I don't think any of them have really nailed down that number nine position and we are hoping that someone will take it and go on a run and score a few goals.

'The issue at the start of the season was we were getting plenty of goals but we were having to be really expansive in order to do that and it was costing us defensively. Now we have been a lot more defensive but at the top end of the pitch it generally becomes harder to put the ball in the back of the net, so we are trying to strike that balance.'

Mbokani has scored two Premier League goals in eight appearances since his summer loan move, but was again deployed from the bench in last weekend's 2-0 defeat at Watford.

'He has scored a few goals for us coming off the bench. Against Swansea he changed the game for us and also West Brom, so in that sense he has had an impact,' said Neil. 'In terms of nailing down a starting place he is still yet to find his feet but we are hoping that will come.'