JONATHAN REDHEAD Norwich City should find out today whether striker Chris Brown will be fit for Saturday's Coca-Cola Championship opening game with Preston at Deepdale.

JONATHAN REDHEAD

Norwich City should find out today whether striker Chris Brown will be fit for Saturday's Coca-Cola Championship opening game with Preston at Deepdale.

The 23-year-old frontman, who has been one of City's most impressive players during pre-season, broke his nose challenging for a cross with Vitesse Arnhem's goalkeeper Balazs Raboczki during Friday's 1-0 friendly win over the Dutch side at Carrow Road.

The former Sunderland striker left the field clutching a towel to his face and with blood down his shirt after 55 minutes of another good performance.

If the injury forces Brown out of the trip to the north west, it will leave City boss two strikers short, with Darren Huckerby already all but ruled out of the game.

It will be a disappointment for Brown who has found the net three times during pre-season. He was looking for a decent beginning to the campaign after an injury hit start to his Carrow Road career following his January arrival and looked a good bet for a starting berth against Paul Simpson's side.

He had impressed City boss Peter Grant during the close season as the Scot was keen to point out after the Arnhem victory.

“The one thing is he's done himself fantastically well,” he said. “We've said to him he has to be more ruthless in the box and we've said to him he's got to do that, especially people like him.

“As I say I'm pleased with him and hopefully the broken nose is not going to keep him out but he gives you food for thought.

“He's done terrific.”

Meanwhile, another striker, Dion Dublin should be fit for the game after suffering back spasms ahead of the Arnhem match, while Julien Brellier, who looked to be limping at spells during the friendly, is also expected to make his City debut.