Norwich boss Alex Neil enjoying Premier League challenge

Norwich boss Alex Neil is relishing pitting his wits against other managers in the Premier League.

The 34-year-old has had no trouble replicating the success he enjoyed as manager of Hamilton Academicals in Scotland to his current role at Carrow Road.

After helping Hamilton achieve promotion to the Scottish Premiership, Neil guided the Accies to victory at Celtic for the first time in 76 years, before taking over at Norwich in January.

He takes his side to West Ham on Saturday having lost only one away match out of 16 - identical to their home record.

"You get posed a lot more questions in the Premier League," he said. "Tactically, it's more challenging than the Championship.

"We know what West Ham's strengths and weaknesses are. We'll line up accordingly and it should make for an entertaining game. Nobody hands you points in this league, you need to fight for everything."

With on-loan winger Matt Jarvis unable to play against parent club this weekend, Neil hinted Sweden international Martin Olsson could return after a recent injury.

"Martin has come on quite a lot now," he said. "The minutes he had away with Sweden recently was a little too much in our eyes but the good thing is he came through it unscathed."

Dieumerci Mbokani, a Congolese striker on loan from Dynamo Kiev, could also come into consideration after making his full debut in the League Cup win over West Bromwich Albion in midweek.

"He showed he can compete in the Premier League. For his first game in England he gave a good account of himself," Neil said.

"The biggest thing you question with foreign players is that physicality of the Premier League because it is not leagues like Spain or Portugal where there is not much physical contact.

"He thrives on that side of the game. I thought technically he linked the game really well. Maybe he could have got in the box more but in training he is more than capable of doing that."

Mbokani offers another option for Neil up front with Kyle Lafferty, Lewis Grabban and Gary Hooper other options.

"I have a few difficult decisions and that competition is exactly what you want," Neil said.

"I want it to become difficult because whatever way you look at it you are going to be leaving out one or two very good players. They are all desperate to do well and it shows the spirit we have in the group."