Norwich City midfielder Gary O'Neil is ready to soften the blow from Vadis Ofoe's knee ligament injury.

O'Neil is yet to start a league game for the Canaries since his summer arrival, but the 31-year-old is in line to feature against Bolton on Friday night after Ofoe was ruled out.

The Belgian international damaged knee ligaments at Sheffield Wednesday last weekend and with fellow midfielder Wes Hoolahan also injured O'Neil is in the frame to get his big chance.

'We are lucky we have a big squad to cover injuries and suspension,' he said. 'It depends on the system and how many we play in midfield but I have been sitting and watching for a gap to open up. The lads have been fantastic, to be fair. I haven't moaned to the gaffer or asked him any questions, but with a couple of injuries and the results not quite going the way we wanted you might get a chance.

'If I am honest I probably didn't think it would take me this long to get a league start but I am not worried or upset. I am enjoying my time and when I am asked to play I will continue to do my best.

'It was nice to play (at Sheffield) and to be involved and I was disappointed not to get the three points we deserved. We passed it well, we changed the system and that allowed me a chance to make an impact.'

O'Neil has watched enough of City's season from the bench to realise the search for a winning formula will end soon.

'The obvious answer is we haven't finished well enough,' he said. 'We had been scoring goals freely and you get sucked into thinking it's easy. We were coming from behind in games and you think watching on the sidelines, 'This can't continue'. I believe the statistics show if you go ahead you don't lose in 70% of the games. It is massively important we start games better and get the first goal.'