Norwich City’s potential big team selection boost ahead of Sunderland game with FA case still ongoing.
Norwich City could be boosted ahead of their game against Sunderland this weekend
Norwich City goalkeeper Angus Gunn looks set to be available to face Sunderland on Saturday afternoon at the Stadium of Light.
Gunn was formally charged by the Football Association earlier in the week and had until Thursday to respond to a charge that he allegedly acted improperly around the tunnel area at half-time of the recent league defeat at QPR. However, the FA are unlikely to rule on the case until after the weekend, leaving the player free to feature against Sunderland, according to local reports.
George Long is likely to play if Gunn is ruled out through suspension at the last minute, though as things stand, Gunn is available to play. Norwich City head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup made it clear during his post-match press conference that was keen to avoid a repeat of the farce that saw Kenny McLean’s FA suspension enacted just hours before a midweek trip to Portsmouth.
“I don’t think any team can expect that they will be given a suspension more or less on the same day that you have to play a game, I only think that’s professional,” said Thorup. “If his behaviour was not good enough, then fine. We respect that, and we respect that if they need to take a decision.
“But we also need to make very clear rules for what we can expect in this busy schedule, so it cannot happen on game days and if there are doubts or appeals going on or whatever then probably, as you see in some other countries, the player will play until there’s a decision being made.
“Let’s say, at some point, it will happen to other clubs in the league, and they will also feel the same thing. What can we expect? When will the player be out? Can we plan with him as in or not? That’s just fair play to all the teams in the league that we need to know, or at least as close to what we can expect. That’s the thing we need to clarify going forward in these matters.”
Sunderland play Norwich at the Stadium of Light at 3pm in the Championship.
