Norwich City are flying at the top of the Championship and are taking steps to securing a return to the Premier League with 12 games to go.

Daniel Farke’s side are two points clear of second and third place respectively as they look to pull off a major shock and win promotion back to the top flight.

The Canaries were unfancied by many when the season started but find themselves at the summit of the division.

That has been down to the imperious form of several individuals and the amalgamation of their talents into a whole team who have been on the same song sheet for the majority of the season.

The feel-good factor is flowing at Carrow Road, but such has been the form of players, it has been hard for those left out or returning from injury to get back in the team.

Timm Klose is a prime example of that having been out with a knee injury since the win over Rotherham at the start of December.

The form of Ben Godfrey and Christoph Zimmerman has been beyond supreme partnering up in 14 consecutive league games in the defender's absence - 15 if you add the FA Cup tie, too.

Klose was back in contention two games again in the win over Bolton but failed to get on the pitch, despite a 4-0 away win at the Championship strugglers.

There would have been mixed emotions upon his return with the Swiss thinking he would be back in the side, such was his influence in the early part of the campaign.

But such has been the form of Godfrey and Zimmerman, Klose has had to make do with time on the bench.

And you would imagine this would please the player and agitate him in equal measure.

Any serious professional would want to play week in and week out but with the form of the pair, he needs to bide his time before a return – and that should leave him suitably impressed.

The whole is greater than the sum of the parts, meaning it is a team effort for the Canaries this term and Klose should be over the moon that in his absence, others have stepped up to the plate and continued the club’s fine form.

It will be bittersweet for the defender who will be wanting and needing to get back to playing but will know that is easier said than done with the club’s current centre-back pairing playing unbelievably well.