Rams’ on-loan Ipswich striker, Sam Szmodics, told BBC Radio Derby after a 1-0 weekend win over Oxford, ‘we know we are making the play-offs’.

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“We know we are making the playoffs.”

Derby County forward Sam Szmodics spoke about the confidence of the dressing room following the win against Oxford United this afternoon.

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Derby head to Carrow Road trailing sixth-placed Hull by three points, with Wrexham a point better off, and in need of a win in Norfolk to underscore Szmodics’ bold claim.

“I read also that one of their players said there for sure they’re going to play the play-offs. So the belief is really big there, and it’s for us the same showing that we want to win this home game,” said Clement, with City now one place and five points behind John Eustace’s side.

“I want this mentality home and away, but we’re hungry for more wins, and it’s been already an amazing few months, if you see where the team is in the ranking in our time together.

“The team wants to show more and to get more points and to make the fans happy again. It was amazing to see again after this long trip to Bristol how many people were there, how happy they were.

Also this energy with the players, with the staff. Those are the moments I cherish, and that makes me happy. I want more of that.”

Norwich City head coach Philippe Clement is back on the touchline after serving his ban (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

Clement was less enamoured with a sluggish first half from his team at Ashton Gate, before Mo Toure and Jose Cordoba got to work in a four-goal salvo to sink the Robins 4-2.

“I was totally not happy with the first half,” said the Belgian, who had to watch from the stands as he served a touchline ban. “It’s even more frustrating to be there in the stands, because on the touchline, it’s not that you can influence everything, but you can spread the message already during that game and to speak with players, and now you have to wait until half-time.

“I didn’t recognise the team like I wanted to see them. I was really happy with the reaction in the second half, because then we saw the team that we want to see, the energetic team taking the initiative with a lot of runs without the ball.

“I’m always really honest and straight with the team, and at half-time we talked about intensity, but also about individual things and individual players and what I didn’t like in this first half.

“I think I could have made changes in half-time, I told them that also, but that they would get a few minutes more to prove themselves, which they did, and then later on the players who came on also gave a lot of energy to the team, and they did a really good job.

“In the end, mission accomplished, to get the three points and with good football and four goals in an away game against a team who only conceded one goal in their last three games.”

Clement indicated on Monday there are a number of fresh fitness concerns in his squad, believed to be in attacking areas, but kept his cards close to his chest.

Ben Chrisene (shoulder) is expected to miss the rest of the season, although fit-again left-sided option Jeff Schlupp is back in the mix, despite Clement opting not to draft the former Premier League title winner into his Robins’ matchday plans.

“There’s no issue there. But he comes from a long term period out and you cannot expect him to play 45 or 60 minutes yet,” said the City boss. For Jeffrey, it’s 20 to 30 minutes maximum, but he’s in contention for the squad.

“We have a few issues, and I don’t want to speak about it now, because we need to assess still and make decisions on the day of the game. But there were a few issues after the Bristol match, so the puzzle is not complete yet, and I think I can make decisions only before the next game.

John Eustace has got Derby right in the play-off hunt (Image: Martyn Haworth/Focus Images Ltd)

“It’s going to be a big challenge, we know, but we like big challenges, and everybody’s looking forward to that.

“A big test. A lot of respect for Derby. From what I hear not many people expected before the season that they would be in the top six. They’re still fighting for that, and they’re still close to that. So for sure, he did a really good job, and you see clearly what they want to do in every game, home and away.”

Clement himself returns to the touchline after what he had predicted prior to the first ban of his coaching career would be a surreal experience.

“First half, I have to say totally it felt like (not being able to do the job properly),” he said. “Second half when you sit in the stands and you see the team work like that, there was also not much help on the touchline that was necessary, and we could keep communication with the bench about changes.

“Then it was maybe a nice moment to sit and have better overview than on the sidelines. But, no, I prefer to be close to the team, so that you can help in moments when things are not going the way we want it to go.”