HIGHLIGHTS
- Norwich City striker Ashley Barnes will be out of action for several weeks due to a knee ligament injury, although surgery is not required.
- Barnes joined Norwich this summer after being released by Burnley, and has made nine appearances and scored two goals so far.
- Manager David Wagner has suggested the 33-year-old will not be able to return until after the November international break.
Norwich City striker Ashley Barnes is facing several weeks out of action with a knee injury.
That’s according to Canaries manager David Wagner, who does at least say that the 33-year-old will not need surgery on the issue.
How have things gone for Barnes at Norwich so far?
Barnes found himself as a free agent this summer, being released by Burnley upon the expiry of his contract at Turf Moor following a nine-and-a-half-year spell with the Clarets, ending with promotion to the Premier League last season.
Following his departure from Burnley, the striker returned to the Championship this summer, as he secured a move to Norwich.
The 33-year-old signed a two-year contract with the Canaries, securing his future at Carrow Road until the end of the 2024/25 season.
In the wake of that move, Barnes has made nine appearances in all competitions for the Canaries, scoring two goals in that time, in league wins over Millwall and Huddersfield Town.
However, the striker was forced off early in the second half of the Canaries 2-0 defeat at home to Leicester City on Wednesday night.
Now it seems as though that setback he suffered against the Foxes, is set to force the 33-year-old out of action for some time.
What has Wagner said about Barnes’ injury for Norwich?
Providing an update on the fitness of Barnes after that setback, Wagner has confirmed that while the striker does not need surgery on what is a knee ligament injury, he will be unavailable for some time.
Discussing the Norwich striker’s fitness in the wake of that injury, the Canaries boss told his club’s official website: “He has a medial ligament knee injury, does not need surgery but we’ll miss him for a few weeks. It’ll (his return) be after the November international break.”
So far this season, Norwich have taken 13 points from their seven league games so far, meaning they currently sit fifth in the Championship table.
Wagner’s side are next in action, without Barnes, on Saturday afternoon, when they travel to Home Park to face Plymouth Argyle.
What games could Barnes miss for Norwich?
If, as Wagner says, Barnes is out until the November international break, the striker will miss plenty of games before he is ready to return to action.
The Canaries are due to play nine league games between now and that November break, travelling to Plymouth, Swansea, Coventry, Sunderland and Cardiff, while they host Birmingham, Leeds, Middlesbrough and Blackburn at Carrow Road in that period.
They are also set to travel to Craven Cottage to face Premier League side Fulham in the third round of the Carabao Cup next week.
What does Barnes’ injury mean for Norwich?
You do feel as though this will be something of a concern for those of a Norwich City persuasion.
The Canaries are already missing one centre forward, with Josh Sargent out for some time with his own injury issues.
Losing Barnes as well, therefore means that the attacking options available to Wagner are dwindling, with Adam Idah and summer signing Ui-jo Hwang, now their only natural recognisied senior figures in that position.
They will therefore be under plenty of pressure to deliver as the Canaries look to mount a push for promotion this season, and it will be interesting to see how they cope with that.
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