Daniel Farke is wrestling with a few selection posers ahead of Norwich City's Premier League kick off against Liverpool.

Farke’s best laid plans were wrecked by a disrupted pre-season of Covid concerns and cancelled friendlies. The City chief only got six of his squad back from self-isolation periods after the final Newcastle friendly.

The Canaries have since added US international Josh Sargent, who was signed from Werder Bremen, while Greek talent Christos Tzolis is now in England to finalise an initial £8.8m move.

Todd Cantwell’s ankle injury is still being monitored, and the likes of Grant Hanley, Kenny McLean and Teemu Pukki are all in catch up mode.

“I have to watch pretty carefully during this week. How they all present themselves and what happens with Todd,” said Farke. “Apart from him the only one who is definitely out is Sam Byram. But if it was Liverpool last weekend I would have gone the same way, because we really didn't have any other outfield players fit and available.

“For Teemu, each and every day will be important. Kenny has been out so long we'll have to wait and see. Jacob (Sorensen) is maybe more of a topic for the starting line up. None of those could have played 90 minutes (at Newcastle).

"Teemu was back in training one day and had more or less no pre-season. Kenny was out for 12 weeks with a knee issue and now some back problems, so he is still on the way to find that confidence back in his knee.

"We brought two of the academy lads with us and we were playing a squad with 22/23 proper first teamers in front of their stadium and a big crowd for the first time. It would have been a big surprise to win in those circumstances. Let's be honest.”

Liverpool have their own injury issues, with Andy Robertson (ankle) ruled out after a pre-season friendly against Bilbao. But Farke insists the Reds’ build up has been much smoother.

“Liverpool went to Austria, no Covid cases, and they can play proper tests. We had our German training camp cancelled,” he said. “We had two Bundesliga games and a team from the second tier lined up. Proper tests. Then we had two good tests against Championship teams cancelled.

“We have also had to follow strict protocols at the training ground, in terms of not using meeting rooms, how we eat together and train together.

"From this week we have now all the lads back and it will help us. I can't predict we will be in a top class shape but we will be more competitive than Newcastle.”

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