Mathias Kvistgaarden explains key to Norwich City progress

Norwich City forward Mathias Kvistgaarden says improved physical strength is behind his five goal contributions in nine games, a key factor as the club builds momentum with back-to-back wins.

Mathias Kvistgaarden believes his improved physical condition is the key to his growing influence at Norwich City. The Danish international's goal and assist in the 3-1 win at Charlton helped halt a difficult run and has contributed to a two-game winning streak.

Kvistgaarden, who joined from Brondby for £6.9m last summer, has now been directly involved in five goals across nine Championship appearances this term. His performance at The Valley came after a run of eight defeats in 11 matches for Philippe Clement's side. The forward stated that a challenging first year, hampered by injuries, is now behind him.

"I had a tough start last season with, unfortunately, some injuries after a short summer break," Kvistgaarden said. "But I’ve really worked hard and put my body in a position where now I’m glad to say that I feel stronger than I ever have."

Building momentum

That extra strength has allowed the 24-year-old to adapt to the demands of the Championship and become a consistent threat. He provided the assist for Paris Maghoma's equaliser before scoring Norwich's second goal himself in the victory at Charlton. The result has lifted the mood around a squad that had been struggling near the bottom of the table.

Norwich followed that win with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Watford, moving them up to 20th place with 12 points from 12 games. They remain 13 points adrift of the automatic promotion places, but the recent upturn offers a platform. M. Touré leads the scoring charts with five goals, but Kvistgaarden's contributions from a wider role are proving equally vital.

Kvistgaarden is confident the team can turn one positive result into a sustained run. The immediate focus is on recovering and preparing for the next challenge, a trip to face Derby County. Fans can see the full fixtures list as Clement's men look to climb the standings. The next match at Pride Park offers a chance to make it three consecutive victories and continue building the momentum Kvistgaarden's fitness has helped to create.