David Wagner has confirmed Josh Sargent was forced off with an ankle injury in Norwich’s goalless draw with Leeds, but expects the forward to be available for the second leg of the sides’ Championship play-off semi-final.
Neither team managed to make the breakthrough in what was a cagey first leg at Carrow Road, leaving the tie evenly poised ahead of Thursday’s meeting at Elland Road.
Sargent, Norwich’s top scorer with 16 goals this season, hobbled off the field after picking up an ankle problem in the 84th minute, with Sydney van Hooijdonk coming on in place of the United States international.
Given Sargent’s importance throughout the campaign, the Canaries will no doubt be desperate to have the American back to full fitness in time for their trip to West Yorkshire.
Asked for an update on Sargent’s injury, Norwich boss Wagner told the club’s official website: ‘He was not able to carry on, obviously.
‘I think he has some problems with the ankle. I haven’t spoken with him or with the medical department.
‘But he’s a tough guy and I’m sure he will be ready for Thursday in a very, very big game.’
Wagner was ‘absolutely satisfied’ with the performance his players put in and looking forward to a ‘great occasion’ when the teams resume their battle on Thursday night.
‘It was a very intense game, quite even. I think the guys have done fantastic, they put a proper shift in, both teams neutralised each other a little bit. There were not a lot of clear-cut chances,’ he added.
‘So at half-time, 0-0, we’re fully in the game, I’m absolutely satisfied with how the guys defended, work their socks off.
‘We keep going, we keep pushing, we prepare for Thursday. It’s going to be a great occasion.’
Leeds head coach Daniel Farke was similarly pleased with his team’s display and felt they controlled the contest for long periods of the second half.
‘I’m happy with the performance and happy also with the result,’ Farke told reporters at his post-match press conference.
‘Obviously the last games in the regular season were not that great in terms of results and also we’ve conceded too many goals after many clean sheets across the season, especially in the away games we’ve conceded too many goals and wanted to be rock solid here today. We didn’t allow them to have one chance.
‘Norwich is a big threat from set pieces. We allowed a few but we dealt with them quite well.
‘It was a really, really good effort from my lads and the longer the game went, the more control we had over the game so we gained more and more confidence and control, especially in the second half we put lots of pressure on them.
‘They defended really well, well structured.’
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