ON-LOAN Reading defender Alex Pearce could be a beneficiary from City's 4-0 mauling at Leicester last week.

With the Canaries wracking-up their heaviest defeat of the season at the Walkers Stadium, boss Glenn Roeder has hinted at changes in his back-line for the visit of Barnsley on Saturday (kick-off 3pm).

And this could spell a first start for 19-year-old centre back Pearce, who joined the Canaries on loan from the Madejski Stadium last month.

The Scotland youth international has had to bide his time so far while watching other loan arrivals Matthew Bates, James Henry and Kieran Gibbs given a chance to shine.

But Roeder said the wait for Pearce could be over, with the four goals conceded against the Foxes tempting him to switch things in defence.

"He's obviously got a chance, yes," said Roeder, when asked if Pearce had come into his thinking. "He's got a chance. Whether he plays or not tomorrow we'll have to wait and see, but he's the sort of lad I'd love to sign.

"He's a man at 19. He'll have a good career. His attitude is fantastic - an old head on young shoulders and I can hardly believe he's only 19-years-old.

"He trains tremendously well and we'll just have to see whether he gets an opportunity to make his debut tomorrow."

Up until last weekend, City's defence had been in miserly form. Not since the debacle at Plymouth in November had City conceded more than two goals in a game, with the Canaries embarking on a 13-game unbeaten run.

And Roeder believed the increased competition within the squad through loan signings may have encouraged others to up their game.

"Maybe, but it's what I want," he said. "I haven't got it quite how I want it. Actually, it's nowhere near how I want it with another pressure on places with enough quality in a squad of 20. That's what I'll be aiming to have, a squad of 20 who all have similar ability, including two 'keepers.

"As everyone knows there is a massive job at Norwich to be done if we're to get back to being serious contenders winning this division. Which over the last few months we have done, but I'm not an easily satisfied person.

"Teams that are on eight points going into November don't normally pull out to where we are at the moment. That is an astronomical rise. But we can't sit back and rest - it's relentless. And I repeated to them during the week that it's a relentless slog. In a 46-game league programme we go from one battle to the next battle and then to the next and the next and hopefully you win the war at the end of the season, which is obviously success.

"Last week was a rank poor performance. They're human beings, not machines and they should not be criticised too much because of last week. It's a long time since Norwich had been on an unbeaten run of 13 matches so be thankful for that. They have done very well. But they've got to continue and it's my job to keep my foot on them to make sure the accelerator keeps pushing down. And we need to bounce back against Barnsley in the same manner we did after losing badly against Plymouth."

The Canaries have a virtually fully-fit squad to chose from for the visit of Simon Davey's Tykes, fresh off the back of their shock FA Cup win at Liverpool last weekend.

Only long-term casualties Matthew Bates, Adam Drury and Luke Chadwick remain on the sidelines. However, City will be without the services of Dion Dublin, Mark Fotheringham and Darel Russell through suspension. Darren Huckerby is certain to start, with Matthew Pattison likely to join the midfield too.