Kaide Gordon will have a significant Norwich City role to play after helping them turn the momentum in their favour during Tuesday's intense 1-1 draw with Leeds United.
The Liverpool youngster joined Norwich on loan in the closing hours of deadline day and has been working hard to up his fitness levels since arriving in Norfolk. Gordon came off the bench for a 19-minute cameo in the midweek clash and injected energy into City's efforts to help end the contest strongly.
Gordon arrived in NR1 with high praise from some big names in football, but has recently returned from a major injury lay-off and is in pursuit of minutes during his spell under Johannes Hoff Thorup at Carrow Road.
Despite not yet being ready for a start, Gordon's cameo offered encouragement of the impact he could have at Championship level - something Thorup is hoping to extract more consistently as they work to build up his fitness reserves.
"I'm very pleased. Like I've said regarding him before, we need to get him up to speed so that he can play for more than 45 minutes, which is where he is at now," Thorup told the Pink Un.
"What I saw today was a player who is ready to support in areas of the game that may not be his favourite, which is exactly the approach we hope to see and want to see.
"What he gave the team was good, and he was a part of us changing the momentum of the game towards the end."
Anis Ben Slimane was also handed his first start for City since completing a season-long loan move from Sheffield United at the back end of the transfer window.
The Tunisian international returned from injury during last weekend's 3-2 victory over Derby County and offers City an increased level of physicality in central areas.
"I think he did well," Thorup said. "He showed that he's a great player on the ball and can give us some moments where he can turn or dribble out of pressure. He has the physicality to win the ball back.
"Definitely not 100pc fit and ready yet because of his energy, which is what he expected. He will be a very valuable player for us."
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