Adam Idah, the Republic of Ireland's solitary Premier League striker, has been ruled out for the rest of this season after undergoing knee surgery.
Idah is certain to miss next month’s friendlies against Belgium and Lithuania at the Aviva stadium, while he’s a major doubt for the Nations League ties in June against Ukraine, Armenia and Scotland.
"We've had some bad news about Adam," revealed Norwich City manager Dean Smith ahead of Saturday's trip to Anfield. "He went in for an arthroscopy and then for a meniscus repair, he should be out for the season now. It's a real blow.
“It was in the game [against Crystal Palace] when he did it. He planted his foot and hurt his ankle and knee but played on. He felt a bit stiff on the following two days, and reported it to the medical staff.”
It is a cruel blow for the 21 year old Cork man, especially considering he had struggled to adapt to the English top flight until recently starting five straight games for Norwich and scoring against Everton.
Idah’s injury will force Ireland manager Stephen Kenny to alter his front three, with Callum Robinson the natural choice as a lone striker, ahead of League One duo Chiedozie Ogbene and Jamie McGrath.
The alternative is to promote Wigan’s Will Keane to the starting XI, as the 29 year old has scored 15 goals in 26 matches in the English third tier, or Dubliner Troy Parrott, although the 20 year old has failed to find the net for MK Dons since last September.
Aaron Connolly might come back into the reckoning as the Galway native has scored once in five matches since Brighton loaned him to Championship contenders Middlesbrough.
Andrew Omobamidele, Norwich City’s other Irish international, must return to see a specialist due to a stress fracture in his back.
“Andrew had some time off,” said Smith. “He hasn’t managed to deal with the training load so far so we will go back to see a consultant on his back problem.”
At least Kenny is well stocked at centre half with Dara O’Shea returning to action for West Brom just over five months after suffering a fractured ankle in the 2-1 defeat to Portugal.
