Former Everton star James Vaughan in hospital after elbow to the face during Norwich’s loss to West Brom

Sep 12 2011 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Echo

NORWICH boss Paul Lambert revealed striker James Vaughan had been taken to hospital after being left with a serious facial injury after catching an elbow late on in yesterday’s 1-0 Barclays Premier League defeat at Carrow Road.

Peter Odemwingie’s early goal proved enough to give West Brom their first League win of the season at Norwich.

The Nigerian capitalised on a mix-up between Ritchie de Laet and rookie keeper Declan Rudd, in for the suspended John Ruddy, to fire the Baggies ahead after three minutes.

Former Everton striker Vaughan was flattened by a stray elbow from Gabriel Tamas at a corner in stoppage time, an incident which was missed by the referee, but could have brought a red card as well as a chance of redemption for the home side from the spot had it been seen as deliberate.

Vaughan came on as a second-half substitute having recovered from a knee injury picked up in pre-season following his summer move from Everton, but had to go off for treatment and will need to be assessed.

Lambert said: “James has gone to see the plastic surgeon at the minute. It has gone straight through the lip and they can’t just stitch it up, the specialist has got to look at it. He had got a really nasty gash in his upper lip, which will need a bit of work on it. We will have to see how he is.”