Hughton urges patience as Norwich face Stoke

Despite bringing in the likes of Ricky van Wolfswinkel, Nathan Redmond, Leroy Fer and Gary Hooper over the close-season, Hughton's men sit in 17th place with one Premier League win.

Norwich have scored just three times in five league games and needed extra time to see off Watford in the League Cup on Tuesday, but Hughton believes it is too early to panic. 

"We would want to be better placed than where we are, but we also have to realise that we’re just five games into a new season and there are five teams who are only one point better off than we are," he told the club's official website.

"It’s not a time or stage to panic. You have to stay calm through this period, and have the belief and the belief in the abilities of the team.

"We’re very early in the season to be making judgements."

Norwich face a Stoke side who have made a reasonable start to life under Mark Hughes, sitting in 10th place.

Hughton believes the change in style implemented at the club has helped their campaign but feels Stoke will offer a similar threat to what they posed under former boss Tony Pulis.

"I think their style of play has changed. How dramatically? I don’t know. What Tony Pulis did in the seven years that he was there was magnificent," he continued.

"He got them promotion to the division and they’ve been a very stable and regular Premier League team.

"I think Mark has got different ideas, but the personnel in the team are the players that were there last season mainly."

Captain Sebastian Bassong is a doubt for the trip to the Britannia Stadium with a hamstring injury but Van Wolfswinkel looks set to feature for Norwich.