DAVID CUFFLEY Clinton Morrison - the striker who so nearly joined Norwich City - is gunning for a goalscoring landmark at Carrow Road, of all places. Morrison has 99 career goals for Crystal Palace, five of them against the Canaries, and gets another chance to reach three figures in the two sides' Coca-Cola Championship meeting on Saturday.

DAVID CUFFLEY

Clinton Morrison - the striker who so nearly joined Norwich City - is gunning for a goalscoring landmark at Carrow Road, of all places.

Morrison has 99 career goals for Crystal Palace, five of them against the Canaries, and gets another chance to reach three figures in the two sides' Coca-Cola Championship meeting on Saturday.

The 28-year-old forward, in his second spell at Selhurst Park, has already been cleared to celebrate hitting his 100th Palace goal in style - after a change of mind from manager Peter Taylor.

Morrison has had a T-shirt made bearing the message “100 not out” in readiness for his big moment, but the Eagles boss originally told the striker he could not lift his shirt to reveal it because it is a bookable offence.

But Taylor is now happy for Morrison, who notched goal number 99 in the 2-2 draw at home to Leicester on August 18, to pick up a caution if he's not already been shown a yellow card in the game.

“I've given Clint permission to wear the T-shirt but he's got to be very sensible,” explained Taylor. “Who knows when it's going to happen? If he's booked already he'll need to be careful.

“Originally I said no to the celebration but I've changed my mind - it's an incredible achievement and he should be able to show how much it means to him.

“I'm delighted with the way he finished off last season and also how he's worked since we came back this year. People thought me and Clint didn't get on but it's a load of old rubbish. I understand him and he understands me.”

Republic of Ireland international Morrison was close to joining the Canaries in the summer of 2005 when he had talks with former boss Nigel Worthington. A fee of £2m was agreed with Birmingham, but instead he chose to return to Palace, where he had spent his first five years.

Morrison has been stuck on 99 goals for the last two matches, a 1-0 defeat at Ipswich and a 1-0 home defeat by Charlton, and was substituted in both games.

He said: “I want to get the 100 goals over and done with because a lot of people are talking about it. I've got my head down and worked hard - it's a big season for me and I know what I've got to do. I think I can hit 20 goals. I believe in my ability, even more so this time because I've come back fitter and stronger.

“As long as myself and the rest of the strikers get the service we'll score goals.”

The one question is whether Morrison keeps his place in attack alongside former Ipswich striker James Scowcroft, or whether Paul Dickov, on loan from Manchester City, starts against Norwich.

Scowcroft scored a hat-trick on the opening day of the season as Palace won 4-1 at Southampton, while Dickov has been one of City's chief tormentors, scoring three times in two games for Blackburn against them in the 2004-05 Premiership campaign.