By Michael Lynch
January 1 2004

Gary Megson gave Norwich a little too much praise after their 0-0 draw at Wimbledon in Milton Keynes, and Norwich gaffer Nigel Worthington has taken it the wrong way.

Norwich City boss Nigel Worthington is unimpressed with the recent praise that his side have been given by West Bromwich Albion boss Gary Megson.

"I think Meggy is trying to deflect some of the attention away from his own team – it's not something I am going to take any notice of whatsoever," said Worthington.

"As I've said many times before everybody at this football club is keeping their feet firmly on the ground.

"We are pleased to be where we are at the minute but there are 20 games left to play and there will be a lot of twists and turns before the end of the season.

"We'll just keep our heads down, keep working hard and take one game at a time.

"From a personal point of view I'm quite happy to keep a low profile and leave the talking to someone else."

It was the sensational manner of Norwich's latest win, a 4-0 thrashing Derby, and the fact that they still had Darren Huckerby to come, that had Megson talking up Norwich's title chances after a drab goalless draw in Milton Keynes.

"I think Norwich are nailed on to go up, the way they are playing - they are full of confidence and flying," he said.

"There is more pressure on us than any other team in the division and we're not winning games at the moment.

"We did have a lead and now it's a five-point gap between ourselves and them at the top. We have to get out of the trough we're in."

Even the introduction of Geoff Horsfield, signed for £1m earlier this month after little more than four months at Wigan, has failed to fire West Brom's automatic promotion ambitions back to life.

"I think Norwich are nailed on to go up, the way they are playing - they are full of confidence and flying," he said.

"There is more pressure on us than any other team in the division and we're not winning games at the moment.

"We did have a lead and now it's a five-point gap between ourselves and them at the top. We have to get out of the trough we're in."

"We have got a lot of nervous, apprehensive players looking at what might go wrong instead of what might go right," admitted Megson, whose side are without a win in five matches.

"It is difficult to play attractive winning football when you are in that state of mind.

All Megson could take out of Tuesday night's trip to Milton Keynes was a point- but he stressed that his players did try as hard as they could of.

"I don't think the players could put any more effort into it – we've got a clean sheet but really not much more than that," he said. "We have to keep the work ethic and hope people can play a little better."

This is how the two side Line Up at The top of the table...

Nationwide Division 1		HOME					AWAY
Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS
1	Norwich	26	11	1	1	25	10	4	6	3	16	11	20	52
2	West Brom	26	6	5	2	17	10	7	3	3	19	12	14	47

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