Sydney van Hooijdonk's patience at Norwich City will pay dividends as the wait for his first Canaries start continues. 

The Dutchman has played only 112 minutes for City since arriving from Italian side Bologna on a loan deal with an option to buy in January after Adam Idah departed for Scottish champions Celtic. 

Van Hooijdonk was sporting director Ben Knapper's first addition at Carrow Road since he succeeded Stuart Webber in November, but the form of Josh Sargent and Ashley Barnes has severely limited his game time since moving to Norfolk. 

The striker made his first appearance in four matches as a late substitute in Saturday's 1-0 victory over Preston North End at Deepdale, but David Wagner knows that van Hooijdonk will still have a part to play in City's push for the play-offs. 

"The only thing Syd can do at the moment is impress in training, and this is what he does. Big credit to him," Wagner told the Pink Un. 

"Then, he has to wait for the moment when he can get some minutes and impress in the games as well. This will come.

"I'm quite sure that this will come. When it will come, maybe on Saturday, maybe the week after—I don't know. But this moment will come."

Part of the issue facing van Hooijdonk in his quest for minutes at Norwich is the form of Sargent who has netted 13 goals in 19 games since a return from an ankle injury. 

The American international was a doubt for Saturday's trip to Lancashire after a thigh complaint during City's 2-2 draw with Sheffield Wednesday last midweek but was fit enough to start and last the distance before being replaced by van Hooijdonk in stoppage time. 

Eastern Daily Press: Sydney van Hooijdonk replaced Josh Sargent in Norwich City's victory at Preston on Saturday.Sydney van Hooijdonk replaced Josh Sargent in Norwich City's victory at Preston on Saturday. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

Wagner is confident that, unlike his ankle problem, this isn't something that will need to be monitored and managed in the coming weeks. 

"Fitness-wise, I think it was top for him that he got so many minutes and 90 minutes as well as consistently trained, apart from last week after the Sheffield [Wednesday] game," Wagner said. 

"This was not a fitness issue. He had an issue with his quad. This was fatigue. Big credit to our medical department, they assessed him 24 hours a day to make him match ready.

"Luckily, they've done it and he was able to be on the pitch to work hard. He had his chance again today as well and was able to play almost the full 90 minutes."