Head coach Daniel Farke is under no illusions about how difficult it will be for Norwich City to turn promotion potential into reality.

The Canaries have been sitting pretty in the Championship top two for the last six weeks, thanks to a superb run of form which has brought 12 wins and just one defeat in the last 17 league games.

Much of that time was spent top of the tree but Leeds reclaimed the lead at the weekend, when Farke's team drew 2-2 at Bristol City, but the gap to third place remains at five points.

'When the press or the family are praising the lads don't think you have already reached something. Stay hungry. A topic we mention a lot,' City's chief said.

'Our fans are totally allowed to fly. You play football for the fans. They had some tough years in the middle of the table. They are allowed to dream.

'No one has to be concerned about my players or coaching staff. We know how close the league is. At the start of the season a realistic ambition is not where we are now.

'We have sold more players than any other club at this level, and money always helps, but we find a different way. There are bigger names in this league but we said even at the beginning of the season we wanted to improve our performances and to be better than last season.

'Look at the last line-up, Max Aarons, 18, Jamal Lewis, 20, Ben Godfrey, 20, all from our academy. If one is carried away you can be sure I am the one responsible to make sure they don't.'

Saturday's game at Blackburn begins a hectic spell of four games in just 11 days – rather different to Farke's homeland Germany, where teams in Bundesliga II have two games remaining before a one-month winter break begins, with no Boxing Day matches.

'We are a bit lazy in Germany!' the former Borussia Dortmund II boss joked. 'We need the winter break, two weeks of food and quality time with the family.

'Last year I got the feeling how busy it is here. Our Christmas celebrations in Germany start a day earlier on the 24th, then the 25th and on Boxing Day you are then tempted to watch the football from England. You are looking forward to some football.

'The same for me. Football is not boring or hard work. I am looking forward to watching my team playing over the festive period.'