Norwich City's powerhouse defender Grant Hanley is counting the hours to Sunday's East Anglian derby against Ipswich Town at Carrow Road.

Hanley got a taste of the rivalry in only his fourth appearance for the Canaries when he was pressed into emergency service as a second half substitute in October's 1-0 win at Portman Road.

'I've played in those sorts of games before and they are the games you want to play in,' the 26-year-old told the club's official site.

'The atmosphere the fans generated at Portman Road was special and I got a little taste of it. That's made me want to experience it again.

'You could see what it means to the fans afterwards. We knew it would have been tough to take if we hadn't won that game.

'When you win, it's one of the best feelings you'll ever have on a football pitch.

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'It's important for the lads to stay focused because it's such a huge game.

'It means a lot to a lot of different people. We all appreciate how much it means but it's important to treat it as any other game and not let the game get the better of you.

'The game has an edge to it and it's important to enjoy those moments because they're the ones you remember. The unbeaten run we've got in the derby is something the club and the fans are proud of and it's up to the players to keep the run going.

'I'm sure with the fans behind us on Sunday, we'll have an extra edge.'