Elliott Ward could be reunited with Leon Barnett this weekend after the West Brom defender completed a loan deal at Carrow Road. Barnett has been drafted in by Canaries boss Paul Lambert, who was forced into the transfer market because of injuries to two central defenders, Michael Nelson and Zak Whitbread.

Elliott Ward could be reunited with Leon Barnett this weekend after the West Brom defender completed a loan deal at Carrow Road.

Barnett has been drafted in by Canaries boss Paul Lambert, who was forced into the transfer market because of injuries to two central defenders, Michael Nelson and Zak Whitbread.

Barnett is at City until January 4 and will go straight into the reckoning for tomorrow's trip to Nottingham Forest, with Lambert having to choose between his new recruit, Ward and Jens Berthel Askou.

Ward knows all about the

25-year-old, having played alongside him last season at Coventry, where Barnett was on loan.

Barnett has fallen down the pecking order at West Brom, but Lambert revealed yesterday that he had tried to sign the 6ft 1in defender before.

“With Michael being out for a few weeks now, we felt it was the right thing to bring someone in to strengthen in that area and Leon was someone we tried to bring in last year,” Lambert told the club's official website

“He's a quality player who has played Premier League football as well as having solid experience at Championship level, so I'm delighted we've been able to bring him in.

“He's here until January so he will provide competition for places when Michael and Zak are fit again, which I think you've got to have.”

Whitbread has yet to appear this season, having been troubled by a calf injury, but it was the loss of Nelson last week which prompted Lambert to take action. Nelson and Ward had started all four games before the midweek Carling Cup trip to Blackburn, when Askou stepped in.

There is no recall clause in the deal for Barnett, who began his career at Luton Town, moving to The Hawthorns in July, 2007, for an initial fee of �2.5m.

He has made 55 league and cup appearances for the Baggies, scoring three times, and played 20 times for Coventry last season. He played in Albion's Carling Cup second round win at Leyton Orient on Tuesday night.