Norwich City hero Leroy Lita will stay at Carrow Road until the New Year transfer window.City officials confirmed the 23-year-old hitman can remain in Norfolk for a third month up to and including City's home league game against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, December 28.

Norwich City hero Leroy Lita will stay at Carrow Road until the New Year transfer window.

City officials confirmed the 23-year-old hitman can remain in Norfolk for a third month up to and including City's home league game against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, December 28.

The Royals retain an instant recall clause and the former England U21 international is not eligible for Norwich's league trip to the Madejski on Saturday. City completed the paperwork in time for Lita to be part of Glenn Roeder's squad for tomorrow's latest midweek league test at Watford.

“The circumstances at the current time more or less mirror when Leroy first went on loan - our strikers are fit and scoring, and Leroy desperately wants to play,” Reading boss Steve Coppell said. “So if he's scoring regularly for Norwich it's an ideal situation for the player, Norwich and ourselves. I know that if any of our strikers become injured or suffer a loss of form, Leroy is right up to game speed and ready to come back.”

Lita has struck six goals in 12 Norwich appearances - form that had seen the Congo-born player recently linked with a £500,000 permanent January switch. The out-of-favour striker is currently behind Championship top gun Kevin Doyle and Noel Hunt in the pecking order at the Madjeski.

Lita hinted his loan extension was just a formality after another impressive display against Ipswich on Sunday.

“There is no problem with me staying another month until January 1,” he said. “I won't be able to play at Reading but I'll look forward to the next game at Watford. It's a tough game but we know we can win. We need to start showing that consistency now.”

Lita is confident City's rejuvenated squad can build on Sunday's win at Vicarage Road. Lee Croft and Matty Pattison grabbed the headlines but Lita heralded Norwich keeper David Marshall as the club's unsung derby hero after out witting Town striker Jon Walters in a defining one-on-one early in the second period.

“It all started from Marshy's save. That was just as important as scoring a goal,” he said. “It was a big save. Marshy has made those kind of saves all season - we've deserved a clean sheet and three points. The atmosphere was electric. I thought both sets of fans were good and it was really great that we came out on top.”

t City safety officials praised both sets of supporters after confirming no arrests were made on derby day.

City safety manager Andy Batley said: “People want to come along and enjoy the game without the hassle of worrying about their own personal safety, as well as that of their friends and family. Of course you'll always get the odd problem but overall things are a lot better than they were.”