City boss Glenn Roeder will be keeping his fingers crossed that three of his players come through this week's international friendlies without adding to his injury problems.

City boss Glenn Roeder will be keeping his fingers crossed that three of his players come through this week's international friendlies without adding to his injury problems.

Goalkeeper David Marshall is in the Scotland squad for Wednesday's game against Argentina, midfielder Sammy Clingan is in the Northern Ireland party to face Hungary the same night, and full-back Ryan Bertrand is expected to make his England Under-21 debut against the Czech Republic tomorrow night.

The Canaries visit Nottingham Forest in a televised Championship game on Saturday (5.20pm) and can ill afford any fresh casualties.

"We have three on duty so it's fingers crossed, cross anything you want to cross," said Roeder.

"There's nothing we can do about it. They've been called up by their countries, they're fit and you have to let them go.

"There was a chance Matty Pattison might be called up for the South African international in Cape Town on Wednesday. Thankfully, we've heard nothing because that would have been a trip too far, I think, to play on Wednesday night in Cape Town and travel back for a game next weekend."

With central defender Dejan Stefanovic ruled out for the season by knee ligament damage and striker Antoine Sibierski missing the 3-2 defeat by Swansea after having an injection in his knee, there was a further absentee when Lee Croft was unwell.

Said Roeder: "Lee trained on Friday but he was energy-less, he didn't have any strength in his body whatever.

"Anyone who has had the flu' will know how debilitating it can be when it gets hold of you, so we sent him home on Friday lunchtime and told him to come back on Monday or Tuesday when he's feeling stronger."

As for Sibierski's chances of facing Forest, Roeder said: "I'm very hopeful for next week but he's not a certainty."

On-loan striker Omar Koroma is still sidelined by an ankle injury.