David Wagner has vowed that Norwich City will not use a mounting injury list as an excuse in their Championship play-off push. 

The Canaries' season has been peppered with injuries and Wagner could be without top scorer Josh Sargent for tomorrow's trip to Deepdale as they face Preston North End in a crunch clash. 

Wagner has also seen captain Grant Hanley, first-choice left-back Dimi Giannoulis, the impactful Jonathan Rowe, winger Onel Hernandez, Jacob Sorensen, and now Liam Gibbs join the treatment table ahead of their final four Championship matches. 

Sargent is being assessed with a quad concern that forced him off in their 2-2 draw with struggling Sheffield Wednesday in midweek, but Wagner believes his squad can deal with the adversity it is facing. 

"We never took injuries as excuses, and the players have done fantastic in recent weeks and months," Wagner said at his pre-match press conference. "They've stuck together, worked hard and haven't looked to the left or to the right.

"They have always tried to take on the next challenge, and that is what we will do against Preston on Saturday."

Gibbs was also withdrawn just two minutes after replacing Sargent at Hillsborough, going down in some discomfort after a quick burst up the pitch during a counter attack. 

The youngster has been one of Wagner's go-to options from the bench to impact matches in recent weeks, and with City's boss already admitting concern at the thinness of the squad, it serves as another setback in their bid to drag themselves across the top six finish line. 

The Pink Un: Liam Gibbs has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a quad injury.Liam Gibbs has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a quad injury. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

"Gibbsy has a serious quad injury," Wagner said. "He will be out for the rest of the season, and he will see a specialist in London this week. Then they have to take a decision over whether or not he needs surgery.

"It's unfortunate for Gibbsy because he came closer and closer [to the starting XI]. We had a conversation last week - it started that he is more or less always the first or second substitution in recent games and has always done very well when he's come in.

"It's a big blow for him and for us, but it is how it is."