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City squad news update ahead of Palace trip
Dean Smith and his assistant, Craig Shakespeare, face a quick turnaround for Norwich City's Premier League trip to Crystal Palace - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
Dean Smith has confirmed none of Norwich City’s walking wounded will be back for Crystal Palace.
Tim Krul remains in isolation, after testing positive again for Covid, but Tuesday’s trip to Selhurst Park will come too soon for Lukas Rupp (hamstring and illness), Milot Rashica (groin), Grant Hanley (shoulder) and Andrew Omobamidele (back).
Mathias Normann is out until February at the earliest after undergoing surgery for his on going pelvic issue.
Smith is not expecting any returns ahead of the New Year’s Day trip to Leicester, as he looks for a response from the same personnel who were embarrassed 5-0 on Boxing Day at home to Arsenal.
“We knew coming into the Arsenal game none of those unavailable would be back, either through injury, illness or Covid. It’s too early to say at this stage for Leicester,” he said. “We just have to get through this next game first. We have the same group again. I have to lift spirits. But you need the players to drive it as well.
"The only one I can give any credit to is Kenny (McLean) on that performance. That performance is not acceptable if we want to be a Premier League team.
“I will look at myself, did I get the team right, did I prepare the team right, but the players have to take a long hard look at themselves.
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“I won’t spend too long on dissecting Arsenal, because there were too many mistakes, but the players will know that. My overriding emotion was anger, because I haven’t seen that coming.
"We worked on Christmas Day and I felt watching them the players were ready to put in a big performance but we certainly didn’t do that.
"There are still 20 games to go but the clock is ticking.
“I used the term in the dressing room ‘littered with unforced errors’ whether that was with or without the ball.
“We let a quality player come inside on his strong foot for two of the goals, we were also punished for conceding a soft penalty and a free kick.
"We can’t let a left back run half the length of the pitch without getting a challenge in or a body near him. Sarge (Josh Sargent) has had an illness but it is not an excuse.”
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