Laudrup: We Have To Maintain Focus vs Norwich

Swansea City manager Michael Laudrup insists his side must keep their focus when Norwich City visit the Liberty Stadium today.

The Swans boss believes both teams go into the game at 'the same level' following a good run of form - both unbeaten in the last six with three wins and three draws.

Both the Swans and the Canaries have pulled off impressive wins recently. Today's beat Arsenal 2-0 at the Emirates last weekend, while the visitors beat Manchester United 1-0 three weeks ago.

Laudrup believes it'll be a tough game as Norwich are now 'much more solid':

"I don`t know exactly what Chris Hughton has done because I have not watched his training sessions, so I can only say what I have seen on match days. I think they conceded quite a lot of goals at the start of the season, but since then they have been much more solid.

"We talk about momentum here, but they have exactly the same. I think the teams arrive in this game at the same level."

Laudrup now insists that it is vital for the team to shift their focus to today's game after superb performances in the previous two games.

"I still think the first-half performance against West Brom last week was something incredible, yet I watched a TV programme the next day and they talked about all six games that night apart from ours,"

"Then last Saturday we played really well but not even close to the levels we reached against West Brom, but it`s another world because we beat one of the big clubs.

"It makes a lot of noise when you beat Arsenal — suddenly we had Sky Sports News at training and we are on the news on the BBC. The players deserved all that credit at the beginning of the week, but now that has gone and we must focus on Norwich.

Laudrup has warned his players that today's game is one 'they could lose easily' as Norwich are in 'better form than us'.

"This weekend the big story will be something else, but we need to focus because otherwise it`s a game we can lose easily.

"Norwich, after all, are in even better form than us.

"It`s a really difficult game for us. I don`t want to be negative, but we have to remember that small things can change things round very quickly.

"We could all enjoy what we have done in the last few weeks, but everything has to remain a certain context."

"There is always a new game, and we now have three very difficult games in a week — Norwich, a team with us much confidence as us, a quarter-final where we will have to accept starting as favourites and a difficult trip to Spurs,"

Norwich City did the double over the Swans last season, scoring 3 goals in each of the wins. They frustrated Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium last season with their intentions of putting pressure on the opposition high up the pitch and preventing us from settling into our typical passing game.

It could be different this time around. Laudrup has alternatives to the way his team can play - a Plan B which was missing last term. Not only that, but Norwich have a different manager but their approach to the game could well be the same. It's not a good time to face Norwich, a team not conceding many goals recently and one who haven't lost in the previous 8.

Norwich have drawn their last four away League games, scoring 3 goals. The Swans have lost just once on home soil, a 3-0 defeat against Everton, while today's visitors are looking for their first away victory.

Michael Laudrup is hoping to welcome back Wayne Routledge after injury, while fellow winger Pablo Hernandez remains doubtful.

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