Norwich City’s deep injury crisis could prompt a surprise return for key midfielder Alex Pritchard in Saturday’s Championship test against Alex Neil’s Preston.

Pritchard made his long-awaited comeback from summer ankle surgery in a 45-minute development outing earlier this week.

Farke had insisted he was keen to resist the temptation to bring Pritchard into his plans at this stage but fresh injury doubts over Marley Watkins and Harrison Reed for Preston’s visit could force a re-think.

Pritchard had been earmarked for a run out in Sunday’s next development home game but fellow midfielders Tom Trybull, Alex Tettey, Louis Thompson and Matt Jarvis are all out this weekend.

“We will what develops over this afternoon with Marley Watkins and Harrison Reed. I really think about crazy decisions. Potentially he could be involved,” said Farke, speaking at Colney on Friday lunchtime. “We thought about giving him a bit longer for the under-23s this weekend.

“There were some thoughts about taking him in the first-team squad to give him some extra motivation to help with his recovery, but you could think about crazy decisions because we have so many problems to perhaps take him with us (for Preston). We are really thinking about this thing.

“It might give him some extra motivation as well to let him know he is pretty close, because he is. The main thing is to give him more minutes at the under-23s and have him back for Cardiff.

“It is really good news. Alex Pritchard has been training for nine days now and he looks sharp and looks good during training.

“He looked pretty good during the first half for the under-23s (on Monday). I thought at first we could have him back maybe the middle of December at full fitness, then 100pc start of January.

“When I look at him right now I hope he can join a bit sooner than we initially thought and in a shape that we can bring him on the pitch earlier without any problems.

“To be honest I can’t wait to have him back on the pitch.”