Motivation levels must not drop if Norwich City are to maintain their momentum when they take on another in-form team at Preston on Wednesday night, head coach Daniel Farke has warned.
Former Canaries boss Alex Neil has enjoyed an upturn in fortunes with North End in recent weeks, keeping alive play-off hopes with wins at QPR, Stoke and Bolton, as well as a 0-0 home draw with Derby, in their last four matches.
Meanwhile City are flying high at the top of the Championship after just one loss in their last 19, following Sunday's 3-0 derby success over Ipswich.
'We are unbelievably respectful because especially this next game at Preston will be the most difficult game we will have in recent weeks,' Farke said ahead of the Deepdale battle.
'We had outstanding games when we played the leaders at Leeds or West Brom or Sheffield United, a big derby for us (against Ipswich), games where it was pretty emotional and the spotlight was on us.
'No we go to Preston, who plays always with a big aggression level and a high intensity, a good side with some really good footballers. Last season they nearly had a late push into the play-offs, meanwhile they also improved a lot in the table, just one loss in the last seven games in the league.
'So they are in decent form and they have no pressure from being involved in the relegation battle, no, they have a chance of again making a late push for the play-offs.
'I think they will be highly motivated, will have one more day to recover and our game against Ipswich was pretty exhausting from the physical and the mental point of view.'
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City's chief has no worries about his players retaining their focus though.
'I don't have the feeling that they lose the ground under their feet, otherwise they would not have this consistency in results,' he continued.
'We had several really difficult away tasks, and also at home, and we have had just one loss in the last five months – and this was after the floodlights disaster against Derby at Carrow Road, when the game was nearly already won!
'In general you do not have this consistency when there is a mentality in the group that you won't give 100 percent in every game.
'But that is never a guarantee of your well deserved credit as well, so you always have to use each and every situation to win games, even when you are there with good performances it is not a guarantee you will win.
'So you have to grab yourself your well deserved reward and hopefully we will be able to do this.'
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