Daniel Farke has just one wish from improving Norwich City - make his life less stressful.

The Canaries host Dean Smith's Aston Villa on Tuesday fresh from edging another tight Championship affair 2-1 at Nottingham Forest.

City's squad is on the up but a series of hard-fought wins does nothing for Farke's nerves.

'I got the feeling in doing this job for the past 16 months the biggest win is 2-1 or something,' he joked. 'It is more like each and every win we have to fight until the last seconds and you are bit scared when all the long balls are flying into our box or there is a set-piece and the opposing centre backs go into our box.

'In general, it is also a good sign we can protect a one-goal lead, keep our nerves and bring a close result over the line.

Eastern Daily Press: Daniel Farke is ready for another tense affair against Aston Villa at Carrow Road Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images LtdDaniel Farke is ready for another tense affair against Aston Villa at Carrow Road Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd (Image: Paul Chesterton)

'When you have to do that each and every week it can be a bit exhausting.

'I have made it clear several times if we continue like this I will be pretty old by the end of the season, I am already old.

'Maybe it is a sign of our development.

'If we were a favourite for promotion then you have a right to expect in 50 games or whatever there is an easy 3-0 or 4-1 win. If you win all the games by a smaller margin maybe it shows we still have some steps to take.

'We know where we are coming from and that we have to be fully concentrated in order to win points in this league. But I would prefer at some point to have it a bit easier.'

Farke has enjoyed his duels with Smith during his Brentford days and tips the new man to get Villa firmly in the promotion mix.

'I have to say I totally respect Steve Bruce. He is a great character and so experienced on this level so you always feels a bit for a coach who has been working for many years,' said Farke. 'But by the same token I like Dean Smith, I like his philosophy.

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'Aston Villa is such a massive club and to sign this coach in combination with an unbelievably successful player like John Terry is a brilliant appointment. I am pretty sure they will climb up the table.

'You don't need to speak about the quality of the players like Grealish or Abraham.

'Hopefully they wait a few days before they climb. It is always difficult to predict where they might finish but the quality of the players and the coaching staff should bring rewards.'

Farke is also realistic about City's aims in the midst of a fertile spell.

'We had three really difficult years. Relegated from the Premier League, then two years under financial pressure when we had to more or less sell our best players and we finished in mid-table twice,' he said. 'We lost our two highest goalscorers last summer.

'It would be normal to speak of mid-table again and hopefully not facing a relegation battle. To have this amount of points and be where we are in the table is extraordinary for me.'