Dean Smith has brushed off concerns Norwich City lack a cutting edge for Championship combat.

The Canaries begin their league quest at Cardiff City on Saturday but failed to notch in their final two pre-season games at Celtic and Hibernian.

Teemu Pukki has plundered at this level in the previous two title-winning campaigns, while Jordan Hugill notched six goals earlier in the summer.

Smith is adamant the chances and goals will flow when the real business gets underway.

“Fitness wise I am happy with where the team is. Creativity wise, we will be okay,” he said. “We created enough chances against Marseille. Cambridge, we created enough chances and we will create enough chances. I am quite confident.

"We have a good squad of players. I think we will be a real challenge for anybody in the Championship this season and I am looking forward to it.

“Hibs was a bit of a mismatch in terms of putting the team together. We had to balance the squad over two days and it was always going to be tough. We were without the likes of Sam Byram, Ben Gibson, Isaac Hayden and Gabriel Sara.

"We knew we would have to play some players out of position but it was about getting minutes into the legs and good, competitive games.”

Jon Rowe was deployed in an advanced central role at Easter Road behind Hugill and the fit-again Adam Idah.

The Republic of Ireland international endured an injury-hit end to the Premier League season, after threatening to become a main attacking weapon for Smith.

Idah notched the first top flight goal of his career in a January home win over Everton, but Smith cautioned he is still on the comeback trail after a knee injury.

“I told Adam on Saturday I still think he is three weeks behind where I need him, in terms of his sharpness, so these type of games are what he needs, and to work hard in training over the next few weeks,” said Smith.

“I didn’t want to play anybody at Hibs who started at Celtic so quickly. Jordan and Adam needed minutes, and with the 23s we had with us we felt they would be better suited to three at the back in the Hibs game.

"So we felt wing back was probably not Jonny Rowe’s best position. We wanted him in those pockets behind the strikers to cause problems.”