CHRIS LAKEY Ryan and Rossi Jarvis will become the first brothers to play in the Norwich City first team for almost 80 years tonight when they attempt to revive the Canaries' ailing fortunes in the Carling Cup tie at Rotherham.

CHRIS LAKEY

Ryan and Rossi Jarvis will become the first brothers to play in the Norwich City first team for almost 80 years tonight when they attempt to revive the Canaries' ailing fortunes in the Carling Cup tie at Rotherham.

Not since 1928, when Reg and Arthur Cropper played in the same team at The Nest, have siblings run out together for a City match.

But it's not the history books that manager Nigel Worthington is worried about - it's the record books, which show a disastrous week in which City have lost twice and drawn once and slipped down the embryonic Championship table.

“That doesn't interest me at all - the boys will go out and perform and play and we'll look at the performance level rather than, 'isn't it nice to see the two Jarvis boys out there playing together',” said Worthington.

As well as a poor week on the field - which started and ended with defeats, with a draw at Southend in between - Worthington has two of his star performers, Darren Huckerby and Adam Drury, on the injury list, where they have now been joined by summer signing Lee Croft, who misses tonight's game with a thigh injury.

Rossi Jarvis, 18, comes in at left back because skipper Drury has an ankle injury and on-loan Paddy Boyle is not allowed to play as part of the loan deal with Everton, while brother Ryan, 20, will be charged with getting the goals which were so hard to come by at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday. Who he replaces depends on formation and who Worthington chooses to rest, but he is capable of playing anywhere along the front line.

Worthington - who will name 17-year-old Academy keeper Steve Arnold on the bench because on-loan Lee Camp is cup-tied - confirmed players would be rested, although the paucity of numbers rather limits his options.

“There will be a couple rested, because numbers don't allow us to play with that many,” said Worthington, who confirmed that more calls for loan players would be going out, with Harry Redknapp one of his targets as he seeks to persuade the Portsmouth boss to release defender Andy O'Brien for a month.

Croft means Worthington has lost the services of both wide men but unlike Huckerby, out for at least another fortnight, he expects his newest recruit to be fit for the weekend trip to Plymouth.

“It's a tweak,” he said. “I think if there was a cup final tomorrow it would be a risk, but we won't risk him ahead of Saturday.”

City's squad is now looking dangerously thin in terms of numbers and quality, but Worthington said he had faith in the group of players at his disposal.

“You have lost three of your young players in Joe Lewis, Andrew Cave-Brown and Andrew Fisk who are part of your backup as far as experienced pros are concerned,” he said. “Then when you lose certainly Drury and Huckerby and you take out one side of your team - that's a loss as far as your team and numbers are concerned.

“The group is there, a good group, I just think it opens the door for others. Yes, you'd like one or two more bodies if you can and we'll keep looking and keep trying, and if we can do something we will do it.”