Smith on injuries, festive fixtures & facing Aston Villa
- Published
Rob Butler, BBC Radio Norfolk
Norwich City host Aston Villa at Carrow Road in the Premier League on Tuesday night with Dean Smith going up against his former club.
Here's what Smith had to say:
Grant Hanley will be out for the "foreseeable future" with a shoulder injury, there's no fracture but he will be in a sling for the next ten days.
Andrew Omobamidele will also miss tomorrow's game with a back problem, he's expected back after Christmas.
Mathias Normann and Christoph Zimmermann are not training yet, but Smith is hopeful that both Ben Gibson and Normann will recover in time.
Christos Tzolis remains the only player isolating with a positive Covid case.
On the busy fixture schedule, Smith said "it’s a crucial period coming up".
Smith added that you can pick up points very quickly, as others can around you. He said Norwich's performances "are moving in the right direction" and hopes results will follow.
Smith said facing his former club is just the next game and is "not at all emotional".
He added: "I move on very quickly and am enjoying life at Norwich. I've got to get three points."
Emi Buendia is back at Carrow Road for the first time since leaving in the summer, Smith thinks fans should give him reception he deserves for all he did for the Canaries.