Norwich 1-0 Charlton: Philippe Clement Championship view.

Philippe Clement addressed the fundamental concerns surrounding Norwich City’s 1-0 Boxing Day Championship victory over Charlton at Carrow Road.

Jovon Makama’s fourth goal in three games, while leading the line in the absence of Josh Sargent, buried the Addicks and brought City within a point of fourth-bottom Oxford.

Makama scored a close-range goal in the 61st minute from Jacob Wright’s inswinging ball, giving the Canaries their first clean sheet since late August.

Norwich face Watford on Monday, and head coach Clement is hoping Sargent will be able to return after missing time due to a concussion sustained at Sheffield United.

The club’s great striker will miss the next three games, but Clement claimed after beating the Addicks that he is on the verge of making the first team.

“Josh was back in training but for 14 days or so he didn’t do anything with the group, he had to train alone, separately, because of the concussion protocol and he couldn’t be in contact with others,” he told me.

“He trained with the team for two days and felt comfortable about his movement and everything with the ball, but one aspect was still lacking:

the heading game, which is still a crucial part of football. We’ll work on that over the next several days, and I’m hoping to have him available for Monday.

“The player’s health is always the first and most crucial consideration. So it’s about communicating with each other, but I believe it will be resolved within the next several days.”

Makama, a young player, has excelled in Sargent’s absence. Clement previously remarked that the 21-year-old was only achieving 50% of his full ability.

“He is at 53 percent now,” he stated. “The most satisfying thing about the team in general is that they have not yet reached their full potential.

We have still a lot of potential to improve things and we’re going to work hard on that, but they need to keep this hunger and desire to learn and to become better, and not to go in a state of satisfaction thinking, ‘Okay, we’re there now, or we’re really good, or we’re happy with the level that we have now’.

“Because of that approach, they’ve grown significantly as a team and as individuals over the last few weeks. We need to continue that story, and the same goes for Jovon.

There are still many areas that may be improved, but he is learning at a rapid pace, which is really encouraging.

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