Former Yugoslavia player Stefanovic has played just 12 games for Norwich

Norwich defender Dejan Stefanovic is likely to miss the rest of the season with ruptured cruciate knee ligaments.

The 34-year-old suffered the injury in an innocuous-looking challenge in the 2-2 draw with Preston at Carrow Road.

Stefanovic joined the club from Fulham in the summer and Norwich manager Glenn Roeder told BBC Radio Norfolk the Serb is facing a long road back to fitness.

"This is an injury that, if you are not prepared to put the work in, you won't make a full recovery," said Roeder.

The former Portsmouth defender has made an impressive start to his Norwich career and had formed a promising partnership with John Kennedy in central defence.

Stefanovic suffered the injury when he challenged for a ball on the halfway line in the draw with Preston, he was immediately stretchered off and and left the ground on crutches.

He will have surgery in the next fortnight before beginning rehabilitation.

Roeder was not prepared to but a timescale on the player's recovery but knows he will have to manage without one of his most experienced players for a prolonged period.

"The last thing you need when you're that age is a serious injury but let's wait and see after the operation has been done in the next couple of weeks.

"He needs to work probably harder then he's ever worked in his life to get to the level of fitness required to play at this level," said Roeder.

The Norwich manager now has just two natural central defenders to choose from in Kennedy and Gary Doherty.

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