Norwich City are a tougher nut to crack under Dean Smith, admitted Wolves’ counterpart Bruno Lage after a 0-0 Premier League draw at Carrow Road.

The Portuguese has led Wolves to their best top flight points haul in 40 years after 13 league games, but conceded it was mixed emotions following the hosts’ second half surge.

“I’m in the middle of being frustrated and being happy with a point,” he said. “We got one point and this is the main thing, we want to get points.

“If we get one point away, it’s good and when you look for the performance, I think we started very well. The first 30 minutes we dominate the game with the ball, we were aggressive with our defending, and then the game starts to be more balanced, especially in the second-half.

“We could have been better in the second-half, especially down the sides where we lost the ball on the sides and conceded some good transitions for Norwich, and maybe we could be more aggressive in the final third.

“If we could do better, I think we can create more chances and maybe we can score a goal. That’s why when I look back at the game, we saw Norwich fight for a good point, so it’s a point.”

NCFC Extra: Paddy's Pointers after Norwich City 0-0 Wolves

Lage got the better of Smith earlier this season in a Midlands derby win at his former club Aston Villa.

But Smith has now picked up four points from his opening two matches since replacing Daniel Farke.

“Norwich have also had a good two games, they tried to balance the game and I think the second-half was more balanced,” he said. “We now have 20 points from 13 games, it’s our best start to a top-flight season in 40 years, but that’s why for me it’s day by day, game by game.

"We try to do our best every game because, especially here in this league, you are playing against top teams and top opponents, who you can see what a win can give to the team like Norwich – they are playing very hard today.

“Every time you are playing against top teams, experienced managers, and that’s why we need to move on day by day, game by game, to prepare the best the way we can and to put our ambition as high as possible to win games.

“When you look in the end, I think it was a balanced game and it was one point for both teams.”