NEW signing Martin Taylor will be given the job of helping shackle one of the Championship's most dangerous attacking combinations - with his Norwich City debut on the cards in the weekend's crucial East Anglian derby.

NEW signing Martin Taylor will be given the job of helping shackle one of the Championship's most dangerous attacking combinations - with his Norwich City debut on the cards in the weekend's crucial East Anglian derby.

Giant central defender Taylor last night became new manager Glenn Roeder's first signing for the Canaries on a month's loan from Birmingham and is expected to go straight into the side against Ipswich Town at Carrow Road on Sunday (12.45pm).

The big man's big task will be to snuff out the threat from in-form striking partnership Alan Lee and Pablo Counago, with 11 goals between them, as fourth-placed Town bid for their first away win of the season at the expense of bottom-of-the-table City.

Taylor, 27, has made just one appearance for Birmingham this season but ex-Canary Steve Bruce has allowed him to move to get some games under his belt.

His loan runs out after City's Championship home game against Sheffield United on December 8.

“I am delighted to secure the services of Martin Taylor,” Roeder said last night.

“He is a player who I've followed throughout his career and he will be an outstanding member of the team while he is with us.

“Martin played an important role in Birmingham's promotion to the Premier League last season and he brings much-needed height in both penalty boxes.”

Bruce signed Taylor for the Blues for £1.25m from Blackburn in 2004, but he is currently out of the first team picture at St Andrew's.

With City pair Dion Dublin (back injury), and Gary Doherty (groin), on the sidelines, Taylor could well partner skipper Jason Shackell at the heart of the defence. Nicknamed “Tiny” because of his imposing frame, Taylor featured 38 times for Birmingham last season, when they finished second in the Championship, but has made just one appearance this term, in the Blues' Carling Cup defeat by his former club, Blackburn, in September.

Ashington-born Taylor has already featured on the scoresheet for the Canaries, netting an own goal while playing against them in Birmingham's 2-1 Carling Cup win at St Andrew's in October 2005.