Norwich City go into this Sunday's derby with major injury problems. If the noises emanating from Carrow Road are to be believed, youngsters Kris Renton and Chris Martin are their only strikers not currently undergoing treatment.

Veteran Dion Dublin picked up an ankle knock in the 3-0 defeat at Burnley on Tuesday, while Darren Huckerby hurt his back in the warm-up.

Chris Brown and Peter Thorne are out for the season, while Robert Earnshaw is continuing his comeback after a groin injury and is unlikely to be considered ready to start. Midfielder Lee Croft added his name to the injury list at Turf Moor after hurting his hip.

Manager Peter Grant confirmed that Huckerby is a huge doubt: “Hucks is going to be a big problem for us at the weekend. He's struggling. Unfortunately we've got two others who look as if they'll miss the game.

"Dion wanted to stay on. He knows it's a young group but once the second goal goes in, you just get him off to see if you can limit the damage. That's what we tried to."

With midfielders Youssef Safri (hamstring), Luke Chadwick (thigh), Simon Lappin (hand) and Mark Fotheringham (back) all out for the season and defender Gary Doherty needing a hernia operation and not currently considered for selection, the Canaries could well name their youngest ever 16 against the Blues on Sunday.

Martin and Renton are likely to be joined in the squad by Republic of Ireland U18 international midfielder Michael Spillane, 17-year-old South African striker Bally Smart, as well as defender Andrew Cave-Brown and midfielder Patrick Bexfield, both 18.

Sunday's referee is Steve Tanner from Somerset, who has shown 78 yellow and three red cards in 31 games this season. His last Town game was the 2-0 victory at Southampton last season, while he also took control of the 2-0 defeat to Reading earlier that year. Perhaps worryingly, he booked nine Town players during the course of those two matches.

Tanner's last Norwich game was their 2-0 Carling Cup victory over Torquay in August, while he also officiated in their 4-2 defeat at Luton last season. In those two matches he booked three Norwich players and sent off loanee defender Calum Davenport.

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