"Wagner is optimistic" - Norwich City offered hope amid "major" Jon Rowe blow | OneFootball

Highlights

Despite an inconsistent start to the 2023/24 campaign, Norwich City are one of a host of sides vying for a place in the play-offs.

David Wagner will then be hoping to emulate his prior success in the post-season frenzy with Huddersfield Town, as the German took the Terriers to the Premier League via the same route in the 2016/17 season.

However, expectancy is rife among supporters and outsiders whenever Norwich are in the Championship, given their recent title-winning exploits on two occasions under current Leeds United boss Daniel Farke.

Pundit reacts to significant Norwich City injury update

However, they may have to do so without Jonathan Rowe, after the Canaries were hit with a severe blow regarding his unavailability - with the winger, who has established himself among the most exciting young attackers in the division, expected to be out for months rather than weeks.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, EFL pundit Carlton Palmer issued his verdict on such a big blow for the Carrow Road outfit, ahead of a crucial period of the campaign.

"Norwich City are sat in 7th place in the Championship on 48 points along with four other sides, only outside the play-off places on goal difference," he began.

"Norwich have received a major blow, with Jonathan Rowe set to be out for months with a serious hamstring injury, just after returning from a broken hand.

"The flying winger has 13 goals so far this campaign. Wagner is optimistic that he'll be back for the latter stages of the season, and should Norwich make the play-offs, he'd be available.

"They have 14 games left, and it's going to be very, very tight. I think it's two teams from West Brom, Coventry, Norwich, Preston, and Sunderland, who are only separated by four points.

Wagner without star performer's services

Rowe has netted 13 times for Norwich to date, failing to look back after scoring his first goal for the club on the opening day of the season against Hull City.

Unsurprisingly, this led to interest from the likes of Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur.

The beginning of the campaign saw the 20-year-old at his dazzling best, netting in four consecutive games, before the remainder of his nine goals have so often come in bursts.

The last of those saw him net a second solo effort of the campaign against the Tigers on January 12th, before his last strike came in the 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion a week later.

Since then, the England U21 international has endured some torrid luck, missing the FA Cup Fourth Round tie against Liverpool and the subsequent game against Coventry City with a broken hand.

He would then feature for 31 minutes against QPR before missing Tuesday's 4-2 win over Watford with a hamstring injury, the damning extent of which has been revealed by his head coach.

"Unfortunately, it is a serious hamstring injury. I can't give a serious timeframe, but we speak more about a couple of months rather than weeks," Wagner said via the PinkUn.

"We strongly hope that we will get him back at the end of the season and that he will play for us. Hopefully, the season will not be finished at the beginning of May," he added.

How this impacts Norwich's top-six chances

This injury is a major blow to Norwich, but Wagner still has a talented group which can get through such a period.

However, as Palmer referenced, the surrounding teams in the table could now have an upper-hand, with their key players hitting rich runs of form of late.

This includes Emil Riis, Jack Clarke, Haji Wright and Jaden Philogene for the likes of Preston, Sunderland, Coventry and Hull.

If Norwich were to make the play-offs, they would once again be dependent on the youngster's flair. But, if not, we may not see him in Championship action until August.

Cardiff City at Carrow Road.