Now time to crack on, is Alex Neil's message after Norwich City served up a five-goal romp to sink Brentford and end a dire five-game losing run in the Championship.

City turned on the style at Carrow Road with a first clean sheet since August 16 capping a much-needed victory after a woeful November. Neil admitted it was vital to pick up a league win to ease the mounting pressure on the Scot and his squad.

'I could have probably asked for it a few weeks earlier, if I am being honest,' laughed Neil. 'Listen, it was a really good performance. Everything came together for us. November was a really tough month for us. Hopefully that is us seeing the back of that and we can push on. A clean sheet, five goals and we probably created more chances than the last four or five games together was really pleasing.

'The players knew the importance of the game for everyone connected with the club - myself, the fans, the staff and they responded in the perfect manner. They really attacked the game and we got ourselves 2-0 and the pleasing thing from that point was we didn't rest on our laurels. There was no sense of that, we pushed on and really hammered home the point. That was the message at half-time but if I am honest I didn't say anything different to any other week. If you look across the board at them individually they performed really well and that ensured we performed collectively.'

Jonny Howson captained the side on his first outing since ankle surgery and Ivo Pinto was also back in the starting XI after a lengthy lay-off with a groin injury.

'Take them out of the side and we miss them,' he said. 'You look at Jonny's energy today. From 1 to 11 they all performed but for two lads to come in after being for six or seven weeks I was delighted. Jonny and Ivo have been in the team for the majority of the time and the points we pick up with them in the side is there for everyone to see.'