Louis Thompson grabbed his Norwich City chance. Now Alex Neil is challenging him to kick on.

The 21-year-old midfielder impressed on his full Championship debut for the club in the 3-2 defeat to Leeds United. Thompson was deployed in a holding role against the Whites but Neil believes he can blossom in central midfield.

'I don't think there is any question he can operate at this level,' said the City boss. 'It is doing it at a consistent level to get us as a club into a position where we can get promoted because that is still what we want to try and do. Louis is a central midfield player but we were a bit limited in terms of the personnel available. To chuck him into a 4-4-2, for instance, I am not sure was the right thing for him. I would be taking the likes of Wes (Hoolahan) and (Alex) Pritchard out of the team and I wanted them for their creativity.'

Neil's selection policy is under scrutiny after Leeds' inflicted a third straight league defeat.

Thompson replaced the suspended Alex Tettey but Robbie Brady was the only other change from the side hammered at Brighton the previous weekend.

'If you look at the team I set up it was really offensive with Wes, Pritchard, players like that,' he said. 'That was my confidence in them. At home we are strong, we had lost one game all season, so it was, 'let's do what we do well and go and create chances and dominate the ball'. That was maybe a mistake on my part, looking back at it. Now it becomes an issue and it is something I have to look at.

'All I can do is get what I deem are the guys who can make the difference out on the pitch. There is no question in the time I have been here and even before that someone like Wes has been a key player for Norwich. If you play two up top I think you find it difficult to fit Wes in the side.'