Daniel Farke joked Norwich City are on course to avoid relegation after pulling clear of the chasing pack with another 2-1 Championship win on Wednesday night at Reading.

Emi Buendia and Teemu Pukki secured a victory that opened up a six point gap to third-placed Watford and a 10-point gap to the clubs outside the play-off spots.

Farke admitted he would have settled for a point before the game against the upwardly mobile Royals, and the Canaries’ chief insisted no-one inside the camp will get carried away.

“From now on if we are lucky we can avoid relegation. I am not too carried away where we are after 16, 18, 20 games. It is after 46 games. I hope we can avoid relegation now,” said Farke.

“The points are important. We already have 40 after 19 games but it is not even half-time yet in terms of the games. We hope it is not half-time either in terms of the points. You have to keep going.

"So far, so good. We are in a good position. When you are sitting top after 19 games you would have expected maybe one or two easier games. Maybe to win a game a bit more comfortably and you can relax in the closing minutes.

"No, every win is close, every win is tight. We have had to keep going until the last second. That is a good message for us for the rest of the season.

"It is great for today but in two days we have to grind out the next result.”

City have now picked up four consecutive 2-1 league wins.

“They are not surprising me but impressing me,” said Farke. “We knew this would be a tough game against a top side at home.

"A spotlight game for them. They were highly motivated to close the gap. We actually spoke before the game that actually a draw would not be the worst result because it protected our gap to the rest. It would have defended our position but to pick up all three feels even sweeter.

"Now after the game I would have been disappointed not to win. It was deserved and I am delighted.

“What the lads are doing in these circumstances – playing in the worst pandemic for a century, without a summer break or a pre-season, with the hangover of relegation, yet to deliver this level of consistency is outstanding. I can only pay them compliments.”