Glenn Roeder, Norwich City FC manager Glenn Roeder has urged City fans to enjoy Leroy Lita while they can after seeing the on-loan striker wrap up a vital victory over Charlton. Lita has two more matches in the yellow and green before he returns to Reading on January 1 - and on current stats, that means there's at least one more goal to come after the hitman made it seven in 14 games.

Glenn Roeder, Norwich City FC manager

Glenn Roeder has urged City fans to enjoy Leroy Lita while they can after seeing the on-loan striker wrap up a vital victory over Charlton.

Lita has two more matches in the yellow and green before he returns to Reading on January 1 - and on current stats, that means there's at least one more goal to come after the hitman made it seven in 14 games.

His latest hit eased more than a few nerves among fans concerned that the relegation zone was getting too close for comfort, but City now head to Crystal Palace on Boxing Day five points clear of the bottom three, and with the opportunity between now and the end of January to win points at the expense of some of the other strugglers.

They will have to do it without Lita, but while Roeder played down hopes of the little striker returning next year, there was more than a hint that Norwich might just have a say in his final destination.

"I don't know if we can do anything," he said. "Leroy is coming to the end of his contract at the end of the year, he is very much in the driving seat. Leroy will decide what Leroy will do - with four and a half months of the season to go his future is in his own hands.

"I certainly know he loves it here, he's got huge respect in the dressing room, lots and lots of respect from our supporters, everything is just perfect at the moment, but as I understand it, I have to be fair to Reading, he will go back there in January because that is the one month they can sell him before the window closes at the end of January. Without upsetting Reading it would be great to sign him, but he's their player.

"It would be terrific to find a way of keeping him, but obviously I understand Reading's predicament.

"In the Championship he's a little bit of a goal machine. Seven in 14 - that's a great return by anyone's standard.

"We would miss him but we've got him for two more games and we have to enjoy him for those two games," he said.

"Hopefully he'll score more goals in those games and we'll pick up points, but whatever happens after that we'll have to wait and see."