Pilkington targets Liverpool scalp for soaring Canaries

Anthony Pilkington is delighted that Norwich City have proved the doubters wrong (PA)

Anthony Pilkington hopes Norwich's remarkable season will end with the Canaries achieving the once unthinkable goal of finishing above 18-times champions Liverpool.

Many bookmakers had Norwich down as favourites for relegation after their promotion last season but they have defied their critics and are 15 points clear of danger with five games of the Premier League season remaining. They claimed their most impressive win of the season on Monday when they became the only club other than Manchester United and Manchester City to win at Tottenham.

Their 2-1 win, which could have been by a bigger margin had referee Michael Oliver awarded them two clear penalties, means the Norfolk club have amassed 42 points – the same as Fulham and top-flight heavyweights Liverpool.

Pilkington, who scored the opener in north London yesterday, is delighted that his team have proved all the doubters wrong this year and now hopes they can climb above Kenny Dalglish's men by the end of the season. "All the pundits were talking about us finishing bottom of the league so to finish above Liverpool would be unheard of, wouldn't it?" the Norwich winger said. "I'm from Blackburn-way, up in the North-west, and that would be a great scalp."

Manager Paul Lambert has rightly earned much praise for the way he has guided his team into the top half of the table after successive promotions.

Perhaps the most impressive part of the Scot's management has been the way he has helped the likes of Pilkington, a summer signing from Huddersfield, to adapt to the rigours of top-flight football with ease.

Another unknown who has excelled in the Premier League after being plucked from League One is winger Elliott Bennett, who thumped home a blistering 20-yard drive to give the Canaries the three points at Spurs.

The 23-year-old, signed from Brighton last June with no experience of playing in the Championship, let alone the Premier League, thinks the win over Spurs proves Norwich are a real force to be reckoned with.

"It was a performance no-one expected," the midfielder said. "It proved we don't want to go anywhere and get our tummies tickled by the big boys. We want to show we can compete. It's a brilliant feeling. The fans have been waiting for us to get a big scalp."