Norwich City are grappling with concerns over the fitness of Mathias Kvistgaarden, whose recent knee injury may require surgery, potentially sidelining the forward for several months. The 23-year-old summer signing did not feature in the midweek Championship draw against Sheffield United due to complications with the same knee that had previously kept him out for six matches earlier this season.
Head coach Philippe Clement confirmed that Kvistgaarden has been referred to a specialist after experiencing a resurgence of pain in his knee. This discomfort followed a heavy landing during the away match against Coventry City on 13 September, where Kvistgaarden notably scored his first goal in English football.
“We need to make a good assessment before I can say something else,” Clement stated. “Mathias had a problem with his knee after Coventry a while ago. After he started to train and work, he felt good, but he felt a similar sort of pain again this week. So we need to assess that for the shorter and longer-term future.”
The injury concerns extend beyond Kvistgaarden, as Norwich also lost striker Josh Sargent and captain Kenny McLean during the first half at Bramall Lane. Sargent is suspected to have suffered a concussion, while McLean is dealing with a hip issue.
“It’s too early to rule either out for the weekend’s game against Southampton,” Clement noted. “We need to assess Sarge, but he could not go on, so we had to make the change at that moment. Kenny had a blocked hip, so you saw he was not his normal self on the pitch. We spoke at half-time. He wanted to continue, but I spoke with medical staff, and it was risky at that moment.”
Clement, who has had his own experiences with hip issues, approached McLean's situation with caution. “I’m a really good hip specialist. I have two new hips, so I know how that feels. It was no use to keep him on the pitch. So we had to make that change. A lot of things to assess in the next couple of days.”
In a more positive development, Ben Chrisene and Anis Ben Slimane made their anticipated returns from injury, both featuring as substitutes. “You see that they come out of a long-term injury, and they were out for a long time,” Clement remarked. “It’s important to have them back and to get those minutes. You cannot replicate the rhythm of a game in rehab sessions.”
As Norwich prepare for a vital home clash against Southampton this weekend, the focus will not only be on the injury situation but also on building on the resilience demonstrated in their recent performances. With a packed fixture schedule looming, the Canaries aim to leverage their home advantage to secure essential points in their pursuit of Championship survival.