Football League World
·13 Desember 2024
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·13 Desember 2024
FLW outline all the injury issues and suspensions ahead of Norwich City against Burnley at Carrow Road.
The Championship has a number of intriguing clashes this weekend, but Norwich City and Burnley going head-to-head at Carrow Road on Sunday is one of the standout games.
The 10th-placed Canaries play the high-flying Clarets, who currently occupy third position in the league table. The visitors head to Norfolk on an eight-game unbeaten run, having conceded just seven goals – the fewest in the Championship this season.
Burnley will be up against the league's top scorer, Norwich's Borja Sainz, who has already netted 15 goals. The Spaniard leads an attack that has racked up 35 goals, just one shy of the league's highest scorers, Leeds United. Meanwhile, Norwich have had a mixed season thus far, accumulating 25 points from their 19 matches played.
At home, Norwich have been largely excellent for the better part of a year now, having lost just one league game since November 2023. This season, they boast a record of four wins, four draws, and just one defeat at Carrow Road. This home form could be crucial as they face a Burnley side that have been impressive on the road this season.
Both sides drew 0-0 in midweek and will be looking to build on resilient performances, although Norwich were no doubt the happier with their draw away to Portsmouth over Burnley's blank against Derby County. That said, their defensive record has been particularly impressive, conceding just seven goals all season. This miserly record has been the foundation of their success, allowing them to grind out results even when not at their fluent best.
They may well have to be at their best to keep Sainz quiet, but who are the unavailable players for the clash at Carrow Road? We outline all you need to know, here.
Canaries boss Johannes Hoff Thorup has confirmed that midfielder Liam Gibbs will face up to 10 weeks on the sidelines only a matter of weeks ago, after suffering a recurrence of a previous hamstring injury during his side's heavy win over Plymouth.
Gabriel Forsyth has not featured for Norwich since sustaining a knee injury during his side's visit to Cardiff City earlier this month, when Thorup revealed that the 18-year-old did not require surgery, but would be out for over a month.
Such an injury blow was a tough one for the Scottish starlet, who made his senior debut for the side as a late substitute on the opening day of the Championship season and has subsequently gone on to make a further four outings in the league, including two starts.
Canaries hotshot Josh Sargent will be out of action until 2025, as he requires surgery following a groin injury, with his last appearance coming back in October.
While Thorup and co. are undoubtedly enjoying the services of Championship top scorer Borja Sainz, Sargent's current absence has certainly hindered their top-six push and seen them fall into mid table.
Parker claimed recently that he is moving along nicely, but still nowhere near a return to competitive football. Aaron Ramsey has been absent for almost a year now.
£14 million signing Ramsey returned to training in September, but since then seems to have fallen off the radar, failing to feature much for the U-21s where other injured returning players have.
Another Burnley star with an as yet unknown return date, Manuel Benson hasn't played for the club since August and appears to be nowhere near a return from injury yet after suffering a calf tear against bitter rivals Blackburn Rovers.
Parker confirmed before the Middlesbrough draw last Friday that he was moving along nicely on his road to recovery, but was quick to reiterate that he currently isn't near a return to the pitch.
Still on the road to recovery from an injury that has kept him out since early October, Burnley will once again have to do without their first-choice number nine against Norwich. Lyle Foster was believed to be closing in on a return during November, but a setback has pushed his return back.
It's certainly a blow, although Parker recently claimed the South African could be a "few weeks away", and they could really do with him back sooner rather than later. Zian Flemming and Jay Rodriguez have filled in during the interim.
Another long-term absentee, Jordan Beyer hasn't been out of the Burnley treatment room in almost a year with a meniscus injury, with no clear timeframe on when he's likely to return.
Whenever he is back to any sort of fitness, there won't be a rush to get the German back in after he returned from a prior injury too quickly, which subsequently caused his current issue and sees him miss out against Norwich.