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Interview: Bristol City manager Gary Johnson

Bristol City boss Gary Johnson has hit out at critics who say the Championship leaders are not playing at their best.

Saturday's win over Norwich saw City replace Stoke at the top of the league.

"It's a bit disappointing. We're at the top of the table at the minute and really they should just be enjoying that," he told BBC Points West.

"We've got to look at the positives. We picked up three vital points and got ourselves on 70 before everybody else with five games to go."

"So we'll try and ignore those little comments - we're doing all right."

Johnson believes promotion to the Premier League will be secured by whichever teams keep their collective nerve.

It's a fantastic position to be in Gary Johnson

"Watford have a had a long run without winning, Stoke have only won 1 in 8 or something, so everybody's having their little blips.

"Hull are having a great run, they're the team that coming out of the pack, always a team do that every year and they're the ones doing it.

"But you've got to believe in what you're doing and get your crowd going like we did again at Ashton Gate - and make sure they don't leave until after the final whistle because they're going to miss goals otherwise.

Brooker's winner against Norwich sent City top of the Championship (Getty)

City are already focusing on their next game, against relegation-threatened Southampton at St Mary's.

"It's another big game in our history, every win now is absolutely massive," said Johnson. "I know that word keeps being used but it is.

"As we speak they could be in the bottom three so we know what the means to a club like Southampton to be in the bottom three and maybe relegation to League One.

"They're not going to want that, so we've got to be ready for another cup final and another team that's desperate to get out of trouble."

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Johnson believes his team deserve to be top of the table.

"We pinch ourselves occasionally but we can believe we're here.

"Every now and again when we get knocked off the top spot, people don't stop believing but you don't get as much fuss made of you.

"Then you go top again and there's a lot more fuss - but with only five games to go you just have to deal with it and it's a fantastic position to be in."