Record breaker Pukki aims to deliver for City home support

Pukki had an international period to savour after surpassing legendary striker Jari Litmanen as Finland’s top goalscorer.

But his focus is now on the Seagulls and picking up a first top flight win of the season, and the first in the Premier League at Carrow Road since February 2020.

“I know we will get the support at home and then it is up to us. We need that in the hard moments. I believe we can get points in this game,” he said. “That first point (at Burnley) was important. Now we can play with a bit less pressure. It is not easy to defend against them.

"We haven’t created the chances we wanted to this season so we all have to step up.

“It has been a hard start for us. We played some big teams and we haven’t got the results we wanted at the beginning.

"It always takes time for new players to settle down and our pre-season was not the best with Covid. I would say every game the new players are looking better. It takes time for us to know what they want on the pitch and the same for them.”

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Pukki is still on a high after his Finland landmark, but his country have a fight on their hands to make next March’s World Cup play-offs behind Group D favourites France.

“It was a really nice thing. Litmanen is the biggest football hero in Finland so it is a big moment for me to go past him in terms of the goals, and also to get the victory (against Kazakhstan) was quite important,” he said, speaking to the Canaries’ youtube channel.

“I haven’t spoken with him but I got a message through the Finland media team congratulating me. The World Cup qualification is still open.

“We have Bosnia away next month and we need three points and then we play France at home and we need points. A big task but I believe we have what it takes to do it. But for now I will focus on Norwich.

"To go to the World Cup after the first Euros (in the summer), it would be a similar party at home.”