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Countdown To West Ham United

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Savvy previews the game against West Ham United on New Year’s Day…


Grant Holt remains a doubt for Norwich’s New Year’s Day trip to West Ham while Bradley Johnson will serve a one-match suspension following his fifth caution of the season. Striker Steve Morison is also doubtful after limping off against Man City with a thigh injury. If they both miss out, Hughton will be left with little alternative but to place his faith in 19-year-old Spurs youngster Harry Kane.

Defender Steven Whittaker (hip) and winger Andrew Surman (hip) continue their rehabilitation while John Ruddy (thigh) also remains side-lined.

“We`ll asses Steve afterwards,” was Hughton`s reaction to Morison`s 44th minute exit.

“He just felt his thigh, so we`ll have to see. And Grant will be touch and go. We`ll just have to assess it over the next couple of games, but hopefully we`ll get Grant back.”

Bookings for defender James Collins and attacking midfielder Kevin Nolan in the Hammers` 1-0 away defeat at Reading on Saturday will find both joining Norwich`s Johnson on the side-lines due to suspension. Top scorer Nolan in particular will be missed, especially as Andy Carroll is still out.

Like Norwich, Sam Allardyce`s Hammers have been struggling of late. They have been beaten in five of their last eight league games, managing only one win and five points in that time. Last time out they provided Reading with only their second win of the season in a 1-0 defeat at the Madjeski Stadium.

“We shot ourselves in the foot from the early stages,” said Allardyce afterwards. “James Collins has been solid for us this season but he made a basic error and they took full advantage.”

“We are slipping back down that way now and that is going to put pressure on us,” Allardyce told the BBC. “We are bitterly disappointed not to come away with a point and now we are without James (Collins) and Kevin (Nolan) through suspension for an important game against Norwich.”

Meanwhile Anthony Pilkington has commented that he was disappointed by the four goals conceded at the weekend and hinted at a less frivolous performance on New Year`s Day.

He said: ‘The goals we think are avoidable, most of them anyway. They are poor goals on our part and we’ll probably look at that before we go into the game on Tuesday and look at tightening things up.

1-0 or 4-3, let`s just hope we get back to winning ways – these are the games which we need to be picking up points in.

OTBC.

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