Stoke City 1 Norwich City 0 match report: Norwich hope to save Premier League status at expense of former manager Paul Lambert

The Canaries are in poor form as the season draws to a close

You have to go back to 8 December for the last – and indeed only – time Norwich City won away from home in the Premier League this season. With no sign of any improvement at Stoke on Saturday, where they lost 1-0 as Charlie Adam struck early in the second half, the Norwich manager, Chris Hughton, is banking on their home form to end lingering relegation fears.

Norwich are currently six points clear of third-bottom Wigan, who have a game in hand.

City, who are 14th in the table, face a nervy-looking reunion next Saturday at Carrow Road with Paul Lambert, their old manager, when Aston Villa visit for a fixture that represents an opportunity to either pull clear altogether or drop further into trouble.

Yet Hughton is "confident" Norwich "will be OK", citing their strong record at home where they are still unbeaten in the league in 2013. "We have lost at home three times this season and that is against Man City, Chelsea and Liverpool," he said. "Our home record is good but it will need to be. I am quite sure Villa will come to try and win the game.

"We are not safe yet and until you are mathematically safe there is always a little bit of anxiety. We need to make sure we make the most of the next two games."

Norwich host West Bromwich Albion in their last home game before visiting Manchester City on the final day, but midfielder Jonny Howson is hoping for a victory over Villa and his old manager Lambert to take the pressure off.

"Paul Lambert signed me [for Norwich] but it's dog eat dog and sometimes you have to just look after yourselves."