Norwich City’s promising young full-back, Lucien Mahovo, has encountered a setback in his recovery from significant quad surgery. The 20-year-old will miss the upcoming Championship matches against Derby County and Swansea City after recent scans revealed a related muscular issue.
Head coach Liam Manning expressed his disappointment during a media briefing at the club’s training facility in Colney on Monday. Mahovo, who made a notable impact last season under manager Johannes Hoff Thorup, has been on a lengthy road to recovery since suffering his initial quad injury, which kept him sidelined for several months.
“It was a major piece of surgery,” Manning remarked, underscoring the severity of Mahovo's previous injury. “We have to make sure that we are a little bit patient with him. This is a small, low-level injury just below the area where he had his original surgery before.”
Manning's frustration regarding the team's ongoing injury issues was evident as he discussed the unpredictable nature of Championship football. “Disappointing and frustrating because obviously we built him up to a point where he was ready, but when you put players into games, that is the unpredictable element,” he explained. “He’s just found it quite tough.”
The Norwich manager emphasised the importance of a structured rehabilitation plan for Mahovo, noting, “He looked really good in the small amount of time he had on the pitch, but you can’t replicate that training block from an anxiety perspective, from an emotional perspective, from a stress perspective.”
In more encouraging news, experienced defender Shane Duffy and summer signing Mathias Kvistgaarden are both working towards returns ahead of the trip to Wales. “Shane trained well this morning, but he is probably one more so for the weekend,” Manning confirmed. “There’s not much point taking him to Derby and sitting on the bench when actually he can work here to get ready. Mathias did some work this afternoon, and the same applies to him.”
As Norwich seeks to secure vital points, Manning is keen to enhance his squad options without risking further injuries. “We won’t be stupid or reckless to throw people in if there is a really high level of chance of them breaking down. It is finding the right blend because we also need competition and the ability to change if players are not producing.”
Additionally, Ben Chrisene is aiming for a return to training next week, while young forward Elliot Myles is expected to be out for a couple of weeks longer as he recovers from a prolonged hamstring injury.
With these challenges ahead, Norwich City remains focused on maintaining competitiveness in the Championship.