Andre Wisdom is Norwich City’s latest injury casualty

Andre Wisdom was forced to depart in the final minute of normal time with what Alex Neil indicated is potentially another knee ligament injury for City's medical staff to assess.

Neil's optimistic pre-match bulletin on Timm Klose was replaced by a gloomy forecast the influential Swiss international has also suffered knee ligament damage in the jarring fall at Crystal Palace.

The Scot stopped short of confirming the 27-year-old, who is still in need of his crutches for mobility, is set to join injured midfielder Alex Tettey (ankle) on the sidelines for the final run-in, but the there was little in Neil's post-match demeanour to suggest the central defender will return this season.

'He is going to struggle. He has got a damaged ligament in his knee. We don't know if he can get back before the end of the season,' he said. 'Of course it is a blow. He has been a massive player for us. His performances of late have been excellent. He is a great lad who fitted in well and wants to learn, wants to do well for himself and Norwich. There is not much we can do about it. We just have to get on with it.

'We ended up with 10 men because Andre looked like he had hurt the ligament in his knee as well and pretty much from that move breaking down they scored the third but I am not convinced it should have got to that stage.'

Russell Martin was a notable absentee with Ivo Pinto the only recognised defensive cover on the substitutes' bench against Sunderland, but Neil revealed his captain was part of the plans until reporting unwell on the eve of the game.

'Russell had an illness (Friday night). He was involved in the game, or scheduled to be involved, but unfortunately he went down with a fever,' he said. 'To be fair he travelled with the team, stayed in the hotel but he had to go to his bed early. He couldn't be around the team and the rest of the squad due to that.'