Sheffield Wednesday chief Carlos Carvalhal insists Owls will be ready for Norwich City’s crunch visit

Gary Hooper has not featured in recent weeks for Sheffield Wednesday. Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd (Image: ©Focus Images Limited www.focus-images.co.uk +447814 482222)

The Owls occupy the sixth and final play-off spot, six points clear of the Canaries, but have lost the last two ahead of Saturday's Hillsborough crunch.

Alex Neil made it clear after City's 1-1 derby draw against Ipswich his side need the three points to revive their own fading promotion hopes.

'It is a crucial moment of the season, it won't decide anything but it will be very important,' said Carvalhal. 'The important thing is that we look to ourselves, to play better and better and improve our football, respecting Norwich. We are achieving points but we know we can do better. I am very optimistic about the game on Saturday. It's important we pull everybody together to achieve points and to stay in a good position. This month will be a good challenge to us, it's important that our fans play their part in this challenge, we need them for sure.

'Everybody wants the same - from the players to the fans. Let's try to push everyone up. Let's be positive to achieve something.

'We must be focused in all the games because they are all a threat and at the end, we will see what we achieve.

'The most important is that we must run, fight and try to play. In the Leeds game, I thought we did this and that is a good signal because if we are like this, we will achieve more victories.'

Carvalhal is expecting a positive response from last weekend's Yorkshire derby defeat at Elland Road, but will call on the home fans to play their part.

'When we play at home, that doesn't guarantee we will win every game but it makes us more strong,' he said. 'To be more strong, we need the support of everyone. Let's be together and finish with the negatives.

'Hopefully we will be in a good position at the end of the month. These things are only possible if everyone is together.

'When we have one week to work and recover the players, usually we give a strong reaction. We play three home games this month which will be very important. It will not decide anything but hopefully we can be in a good position at the end of the month. Norwich will be tough but I hope everyone understands that now is the moment we must be together and put a lot of energy in at Hillsborough to make our team more strong. We have good expectation for the rest of the season but we need everyone together, we need a positive environment, of course.'

Key defender Tom Lees has been ruled out with a knee injury but former Norwich striker Gary Hooper will be in contention this weekend if a precautionary scan on a quad problem comes back clear later on Thursday.