Philippe Clement has delivered his Norwich City team news ahead of Saturday's Sky Bet Championship trip to face Sheffield United. The head coach confirmed midfielder Paris Maghoma is back in contention after returning to training this week, while striker Jovon Makama is also stepping up his recovery from a long-term absence.
Clement spoke to reporters on Friday afternoon. The Canaries travel to Bramall Lane looking to improve on a challenging start to the 2026/27 campaign. They currently sit 20th in the Championship table with just three points from their opening four matches, having recorded one win and three defeats. Their recent form reads LWLL, and they have scored five goals while conceding seven for a minus-two goal difference.
Paris Maghoma has resumed training after a two-week absence and will be part of the squad for the Sheffield United fixture. "Paris has been back in training the last two days, so he will be in the selection now for this weekend," Clement stated. Jovon Makama, who has been sidelined for almost six months, returned to training on the day of the press conference. His availability is expected in the coming weeks, not for this immediate match.
The club's current injury situation includes several other players. Ali Ahmed, Lucien Mahovo, and Mirko Topić remain sidelined alongside Makama and Maghoma. Clement expressed satisfaction with the squad assembled during the summer transfer window, which is now closed. He believes the current group is stronger than last season's, having worked within the available budget.
Clement addressed the situations of several younger squad members. He prevented Liam Gibbs from going out on loan in January, despite the player's desire for more regular game time. Gibbs has faced multiple injury setbacks during his Norwich City career. Amankwah Forson, a player the club paid a fee to sign, was not sent on loan due to squad-specific considerations. Clement noted Forson has more limited positional versatility compared to Gibbs.
The manager made a conscious decision to retain Elliot Myles and Errol Mundle-Smith at the club. Myles has achieved six months of consistency after previously struggling with multiple injuries. Mundle-Smith is viewed as a player who can continue his development at Carrow Road before a full evaluation is made.
Clement is anticipating a tough test against Chris Wilder's side. He praised Wilder as a good manager with a clear tactical style. Sheffield United are described as a direct, aggressive team with two good strikers and wingers, a strong midfield, and a strong defensive unit. The two clubs met twice in the previous Championship season, providing some recent history.
The Norwich boss acknowledged his team's opening games haven't met expectations for performance and results balance. He did find some positives from the recent match against Stoke City, where Darlin Yongwa made his first start for the club. "There are positives to talk about after Stoke; there were no problems after the game with the squad that was there," Clement said. New signings Andre Brooks and Anthony Musaba had not previously faced the specific tactical system deployed by Stoke.
Off the pitch, Clement briefly addressed potential investment interest from actor Hugh Jackman. He acknowledged Jackman as a big fan of the club and suggested such global engagement could help Norwich City grow. On the field, the immediate focus is climbing the standings. The Canaries are seven points behind league leaders Swansea City.
The match at Bramall Lane is a key opportunity to build momentum before the next fixture. Norwich City return to Carrow Road on September 9th to host Birmingham City, who currently sit 8th in the table. Clement's squad selection for the Sheffield United trip will be important as they aim to secure a much-needed positive result on the road.
