Jonny Howson could make a Premier League return this weekend against Tottenham after a two month injury lay-off with a back problem.

Howson has trained fully with the Canaries' first team squad this week but City boss Chris Hughton will take no risks with the influential midfielder ahead of the club's crucial survival run-in.

Hughton confirmed on Friday afternoon central defenders Ryan Bennett (thigh) and Michael Turner (hamstring), along with Jonas Gutierrez (calf), will all miss Spurs' televised visit to Carrow Road on Sunday.

'Jonny is back and I probably have a decision to make for this weekend but he has done a good week's training and he had done a fair bit before that with the fitness coaches,' said Hughton. 'The decision will be on whether he just needs another a week but it is certainly good to see him on the training pitches. He has trained with us and looked good. Michael is still probably out of the equation. He is probably two to three weeks away but on the plus side Ryan Bennett is looking good for Aston Villa. Jonas will miss this weekend as well and he is another who is still a couple of weeks away. That just leaves Elliott (Bennett), who is looking now at some stage in March.'

Hughton watched his old club's Europa League 1-0 defeat in the Ukraine on Thursday night on television but expects Tim Sherwood to make a number of changes with the likes of Emmanuel Adebayor and Hugo Lloris missing the trip to Eastern Europe.

'I think they made five or six changes from their last (league) game at Newcastle. They are able to do that because of the squad they have got,' he said. 'Of course, it is a long journey. I watched the game and it could have gone either way. Unfortunately for them it went against them but I fully expect them to make some changes. I think they are (top four) contenders because of the squad they have got. They have a lot of depth. The downside for them is they are up against a resurgent Everton and Liverpool which adds to the possible teams who can genuinely finish in that top four but they are genuine contenders.'