David Wagner is challenging his Norwich City players to overcome adversity to keep their Championship play-off push alive against Stoke City. 

The injury-hit Canaries stayed in Leeds after Wednesday's disappointing 1-1 draw with struggling Huddersfield and City's boss will need to unearth solutions to his squad's issues ahead of facing Alex Neil's side. 

Kieran Dowell, Onel Hernandez and Jon Rowe will miss the trip to Stoke through injury. Adam Idah (foot) and Ben Gibson (ankle) are also major doubts after limping off during Wednesday's stalemate. 

City have been boosted by the news that Marquinhos has seen his three-game suspension overturned after a successful appeal. 

Those problems have seen Wagner call for reinforcements from City's U21s ahead of this clash and he admitted that creativity would be the order of the day to ensure his side are competitive against one of the Championship's most in-form sides. 

"Stoke is the in-form team in the league at the moment this is not a question. They are performing very well and have produced some good results," City's boss said.

"Four days ago, we were one of the in-form teams as well but then we've had the injuries concerns that we have at the minute. Obviously, the performances and points that we wanted to collect, we haven't been able to do or what we hoped to do.

"You see how everything can turn quickly in the Championship and the most important thing is that you really try to be focused and try to get solutions and ideas to solve the issues we have."

Wagner will need to assess his options and formulate a plan to help Norwich leave the Bet365 Stadium with points after falling four points behind sixth-placed Millwall in midweek. 

The Pink Un: David Wagner will call upon creativity to make Norwich City competitive against in-form Stoke on Saturday.David Wagner will call upon creativity to make Norwich City competitive against in-form Stoke on Saturday. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

City's boss has expressed his opinion that his squad can struggle when faced with adversity - but is hoping the circumstances can create a siege mentality that will work in their favour on Saturday afternoon. 

"Sometimes when you have a tighter group it can help you to create more energy because everything is very tight," Wagner said.

"We have to take this situation on the chin and make sure that we move on with a positive mindset and being creative about how we can take on this challenge and it is a big challenge against Stoke on Saturday but one that excites us."