Kenny McLean is peerless in the Championship for Johannes Hoff Thorup, with the Scot back for Tuesday’s Plymouth test after serving a four-game ban.

The all-action midfielder has not featured since his sending off in a pulsating 3-3 Carrow Road affair against Middlesbrough on October 27.

McLean’s drive and leadership were missed in a downturn compounded by fellow central midfielder Marcelino Nunez’s hamstring problems.

“From what I see, Kenny is one of the best midfielders in the league, and especially suited for the way that we want to play,” said Thorup. “I don't think I can find midfielders that will be a better fit for us than him. Or if so, very, very few in the league.

"But it is not just the obvious areas, it's also the things you maybe don't see, it's all the communication in there, it's all the small adjustments, it's all the talking to team mates, sometimes winning fouls at critical moments of the game just to kill the pressure from the opposition a little bit.

"He brings experience, besides the technical, tactical stuff. That's what we have needed here in the three or four games he was unavailable.

“It was good for him to get some game minutes with Scotland. Actually also the same with Onel (Hernandez) and Cuba, although not ideal that he played 90 minutes. That was not what we had planned for, and also the advice that we gave his national team.

"But that's how it is. They can do what they want as long as the players are available. But now both have those minutes in the body it also makes the integration a little bit more smoother for us.”

Jose Cordoba was another of City’s international contingent, but the Panamanian picked up a knee issue for his country that will rule him out of the next two league games, after he also missed the West Brom weekend draw.

“He has some inflammation in his knee, so not exactly the same as he had after the Leeds game, a little bit different,” confirmed Thorup, speaking at Colney on Monday afternoon. “Unfortunate for him and for us. Hopefully what we try to do is we can make him available for QPR. That’s the plan. We need some days for that to settle and then to get him back on the pitch.

"A bit of rest, a little bit of recovery. And then trying to get him back on the grass to see how it goes. It doesn't seem like something too severe, but there is some inflammation.

“I can see all over the world, not only in this country, but also other countries, that is what club coaches deal with. It's out of our hands.

"The only thing we do is cross our fingers they stay fit. Unfortunate, first and foremost for him, but also the team and the club that he's now out for at least three games.”