Daniel Farke praises Norwich City stars as they step up preparations for Sheffield Wednesday showdown

The Canaries, who face Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough this Saturday, bowed out of the competition at the fourth round stage, losing 2-1 at the Vitality Stadium in midweek.

Goals from Junior Stanislas and Steve Cook booked the Cherries place in the quarter-finals of the tournament.

Defeat for Norwich was only their second from 13 fixtures in all competitions.

"We know we were there with a brilliant performance and it is also good for the self-confidence," said Farke, who made eight changes to his team.

"We are disappointed that we are not among the last eight competitors in this cup because we all got the feeling that we deserved to be in the next round.

'Sometimes football can be pretty unfair.

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'We were really the better side but the better side doesn't always win in football.

"When you are able to come to a really tough ground and dominate a Premier League side, it's always a sign of quality and you can take this atmosphere and this self-confidence with you in the league and this is what we are trying to do."

Jordan Rhodes, who is ineligible to face the Owls under the terms of his loan deal this weekend, wasted a glorious chance at the end of the tie when he planted a near post header wide eight yards out.

Farke said: 'If in that moment I could have selected a player to have that chance I would 100pc choose Jordan Rhodes.

"It is one of his big strengths in the air and to be in that position he is normally cool enough to score. In 40 attempts he is there with a goal in 39."

Eddie Howe, Farke's managerial counterpart, paid a glowing tribute to Norwich.

'A really improving team who on that evidence will take some stopping in the Championship," he said. "I thought they performed really well, we rode our luck and we got lucky.

"We'll certainly take it. Why was that the case? I need to gather the thoughts of the players. Maybe a couple of the players who came in have not had enough games. We lacked a sharpness and a fluency that is usually in our game."

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