Manager Paul Lambert will be forced into defensive changes as Norwich City take on strugglers Crystal Palace in Tuesday night's Championship match at Carrow Road.

Centre-back Elliott Ward will be missing for the first time this season after collecting his fifth yellow card in Saturday's goalless draw away to leaders Queens Park Rangers, while full-back Adam Drury is a doubtful starter after hobbling off in the second half at Loftus Road. Ward was booked for a first-half challenge on Adel Taarabt and faces a one-match ban.

'It's a blow because he has been brilliant for us,' said manager Paul Lambert. 'He and Leon Barnett have been absolutely colossal.'

Drury, who missed the 3-0 win at Bristol City with a hamstring injury, lasted only 58 minutes on his recall against Rangers before pulling up with a calf injury.

Danish defender Jens Berthel Askou, whose only start this season came in the Carling Cup at Blackburn, when he scored in a 3-1 defeat, looks favourite to replace Ward, who has played every minute of every match since the start of the season. Other defensive options are limited with Michael Nelson and Zak Whitbread still out of action, while George Francomb is on loan at Barnet. Steven Smith, who played at Ashton Gate and replaced Drury for the final half-hour on Saturday, stands by to continue at left-back.

With the Canaries still third in the table, Palace are second from bottom with just one point from their five away matches, but manager George Burley can recall on-loan striker James Vaughan after a three-match ban.