Hughton wary of Saints

Manager Chris Hughton knows Norwich will have to use all of their newfound resilience to extend a seven-game unbeaten run at rejuvenated Southampton tonight.

The Canaries have been reborn since the October international break, with victories over Arsenal and Manchester United.

Norwich head to St Mary’s on the back of a battling 1-1 draw at Everton, secured by a last-minute goal from Sebastien Bassong. However, the Saints have also found form in recent weeks, beating Newcastle to record a second successive victory which lifted them out of the bottom three and to within four points of Norwich, who are 13th.

“Southampton are a team playing well at the moment, they are at home, and we will need to give a good account of ourselves to get something,” Hughton said.

“They are on the back of a good win at Queens Park Rangers, and I think they took that into the game against Newcastle, so it will be a tough one.”

Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy is a major doubt with a thigh injury, and could be replaced by Mark Bunn.

Norwich will definitely be without centre-back Michael Turner because of a shoulder problem, although versatile defender Russell Martin is fit again following his back injury.

Southampton’s Rickie Lambert is looking forward to a squaring up to his old former Rochdale striker partner Grant Holt.

“I really enjoyed my time with Rochdale because I’d come off a bad spell at Stockport. My strike partner was Grant, and we hit it off almost straight away. Since then our career paths have kind of been the same.

“Perhaps we appreciate (playing in the top flight) more than most because of the paths that we have taken – I know for a fact that I appreciate where I am now.”