Big guns absent for reserve encounter

Norwich City will be without any regular first team players as they attempt to maintain their recent revival in the Barclays Premiership League at Crystal Palace tonight (7).

Only brothers Rossi and Ryan Jarvis and Micky Spillane have first team experience as Nigel Worthington keeps his experienced players back for Friday's Championship trip to Burnley.

With two wins, two draws and a defeat in their last five - with 10 goals scored - the Canaries' second string have suddenly found a second wind after winning just twice in their opening 16 games, and finding the net only five times.

“We have done alright,” said reserve team boss Keith Webb. “We have had a few pros back and that's given us a little bit of extra strength and that's helped the younger players too and it's been reflected in the results.

“Probably our worst performance was actually when we beat West Ham, certainly in terms of quality of play. But we have started to pick up and we've been looking like a team.”

City are second from bottom of the table, with Palace three places and five points ahead.

“It would be nice to further up the table, but we have shown recently that the players have learned something even though we were heavily beaten against the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham, and that's what it's all about,” added Webb.

“I haven't been too unhappy. I know people have been moaning, quite rightly, but it is all part of the learning curve and to be fair the players have responded well.”

The last time City met Palace, the Londoners went away with the points after a 3-1 win at Carrow Road, where Craig Fleming scored for the Canaries.

Iain Dowie's Eagles were in Championship action at Leeds last night - and that will have had a knock-on effect on Kit Symonds selection for his reserves team.

Norwich: Lewis, Bexfield, Gusterson, Rossi Jarvis, Spillane, Cave-Brown, Smart, El-Ouargui, Ryan Jarvis, Fisk, Eagle. Subs: Martin, Arnold, Muddel, Eames, Quaye.