- Kenny McLean ruled out of Norwich’s final league game through injury.
- The Scotland international is set to play at the World Cup this summer.
- Rarely-seen Norwich talent could replace the captain in the starting line-up.
Norwich City travel to face Hull City in the final game of the Championship season on Saturday, knowing that it will not affect their league standing.
The Canaries fell just short of the play-off race after drawing 1-1 with Swansea City at Carrow Road last weekend.
And they will now be without their captain for the final game of the season, as Kenny McLean has been ruled out through injury.
Philippe Clement on Kenny McLean’s injury…
Speaking to the Pink Un in his pre-match press conference, Philippe Clement confirmed that the skipper will not be in the squad to travel to Hull on Saturday.
The Belgian boss said: “Kenny (McLean) has locked his back; he will be out for a few days, but will be fine for the World Cup for our Scottish friends.
“So we will have some changes to see players towards next season, but only those who have shown they are ready.”
The Scotland international, therefore, will not be available for selection this weekend, but there are no concerns about his availability for pre-season in July.
Clement also took the chance to comment on McLean’s Player of the Season award, saying: “Kenny deserved it. He is one of the best captains I have ever seen, both as a player and as a manager, in the way he speaks in the dressing room and helps the young players.”
The Norwich captain started alongside Pelle Mattsson in the 1-1 draw with the Swans last time out, which means that the manager will need to replace him in the starting line-up this weekend.
Who Norwich should replace McLean with against Hull
The ‘obvious’ answer to replace McLean would be QPR loanee Sam Field, as he started the games against Ipswich and Millwall when the skipper started out wide on the right.
Now that promotion is not on the cards, though, playing a loanee who is set to return to his parent club may not be the best use of this opportunity.
Instead, Clement should this rare game without McLean available to play Jacob Wright in his preferred role as a number six alongside Mattsson.
The English midfielder has had to settle for minutes as a number ten at times this season, with seven of his 14 starts in all competitions coming as an attacking midfielder.
However, his last two starts in the double pivot ended in 2-0 wins for Norwich in the Championship, at home to Sheffield Wednesday and Blackburn Rovers.
In those two games, Wright won 11 ground duels, took 161 touches of the ball, and created six chances for his teammates, showcasing his quality on and off the ball.
It was his pass between the lines to Paris Maghoma that set up the second goal against Sheffield Wednesday.
His ability to dictate play and create goals from a deep-lying midfield position is what makes him such an exciting prospect, and that is why he should be given a chance to shine alongside Mattsson on Saturday.
With McLean out, it is the perfect opportunity for the Scottish star’s potential heir to show Clement that he is ready to step up.
