Johannes Hoff Thorup has set himself the challenge of finding Norwich City’s missing striker link, with injured star Josh Sargent sidelined for two months.

Thorup admitted the prolific US forward has been a big miss in a winless run, with both Ante Crnac and Emi Marcondes pressed into Championship auditions after Sargent underwent groin surgery.

The Dane appeared to rule out free agent options as Norwich limped into the international break on the back of three straight league defeats, but the City chief must come up with the answer when they return to action.

“It's been a challenge for us to find the right constellation up front with the right players and types and profiles together,” he said, with experienced attacking duo Ashley Barnes and Onel Hernandez closing in on their own fitness returns ahead of the festive run-in. “We have an in-form player on the left side, but it seems like we need a little bit more from the number nine position and also from the right side.

"We tried something new with Emi but, of course, we still have limited options. It's not like we can just pick whatever we want here.

"We actually started the (Bristol) game well, Emi had the header against the post, but like the rest of the team we needed that flow in the game, that good passing game, that tempo, that speed, that energy to be able to also put the attacking players into good situations.”

City’s quest to replace Sargent has been hindered by the knock-on impact of losing key midfield duo Kenny McLean, through suspension, and Chilean international Marcelino Nunez (hamstring).

“The better a team is performing, the better a team is playing, the better you will also look as a striker or offensive player or a player who needs to decide the games for us,” said Thorup. “It's a combination of so many things.

"But obviously, we can see, and have seen now in the previous three games, that we struggle a little bit as a team when we don't have experienced guys in there, we don't have our vice captain in Kenny in there and when we don't have some of the others we are a little bit vulnerable as a team.

"It doesn't take much for us to be a little bit shaky, or a little bit out of rhythm. That's something I hoped we were maybe going to be a little bit better during this difficult period.”