MX23RW : Wednesday, March 19 11:49:16| >> :600:222695:222695:
[monks data]
Norwich logo
Premier League
Mar 22, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Sunderland

2-0

Snodgrass (20'), Tettey (32')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Preview: Norwich City vs. Sunderland

Sports Mole previews the Premier League clash between Norwich City and Sunderland at Carrow Road, as both sides look for crucial points in their battle against the drop.

Two sides firmly in the relegation scrap meet at Carrow Road this weekend as Norwich City host Sunderland.

The Black Cats are currently 18th in the table, three points adrift of safety, but have at least two games in hand on the other teams who are fighting against the drop.

Norwich are four points clear of the Premier League's bottom three, a position they find themselves in largely due to their inconsistency and poor away form.

The Canaries have not won consecutive top-flight matches all season, but Chris Hughton will view the next month as the perfect time to change that statistic during a run of fixtures against their closest rivals.

Hughton will be glad to be back in East Anglia having conceded four in successive heavy defeats on the road. They have lost fewer homes games than both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur this term.

Elliott Bennett resumed light training this week as he continues his recovery from cruciate knee ligament damage, but there are still doubts as to whether the winger will feature before the end of the campaign.

Injuries to Leroy Fer and Jonas Gutierrez further deplete Norwich's midfield, but Wes Hoolahan, Bradley Johnson and Robert Snodgrass have all been on the scoresheet recently and should start.

Sebastien Bassong may be restored after being dropped in favour of Ryan Bennett for the 4-2 defeat to Southampton in which Johan Elmander netted, but the Swede will likely be on the bench again.

Sunderland manager Gus Poyet has only two senior fitness concerns, with goalkeeper Kieren Westwood a long-term absentee and striker Steven Fletcher struggling with a persistent ankle problem.

With the Scotsman sidelined and Ignacio Scocco yet to settle, the visitors could either recall Jozy Altidore, who is without a goal since December, as Fabio Borini's partner or match Norwich's 4-5-1 formation.

The Wearsiders' back four is fairly settled, but Poyet continues to shuffle the pack in midfield. Sebastian Larsson, Craig Gardner, Jack Colback and Lee Cattermole are battling for one or two spots in the team.

Recent form

Norwich: LDLWLD

Sunderland: DLLLWL

Possible starting lineups

Norwich: Ruddy; Martin, Yobo, Bassong, Olsson; Redmond, Johnson, Tettey, Snodgrass; Hoolahan, Hooper

Sunderland: Mannone; Bardsley, O'Shea, Brown, Alonso; Bridcutt, Ki, Colback; Larsson, Johnson, Borini

Sports Mole says: 0-0


ID:145347: cacheID:145347:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:6070:
Written by
Joe Fish
No Data Analysis info

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Restore Data
Share this article now:
Charlie Adam of Stoke during a Pre Season Friendly between Stoke City and Genoa at Britannia Stadium on August 10, 2013
Read Next:
Preview: Norwich vs. Stoke
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds382311476255180
2Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd38257653282580
3Burnley382115252114178
4Sunderland381912755371869
5Coventry CityCoventry38178135548759
6West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom381318748341457
7Bristol City38141594941857
8Middlesbrough38159145748954
9Blackburn RoversBlackburn38157164240252
10Watford38157164751-452
11Millwall381312133739-251
12Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds38149155359-651
13Norwich CityNorwich381213136054649
14Preston North EndPreston381017113944-547
15Queens Park RangersQPR381112154450-645
16Swansea CitySwansea38128183849-1144
17Portsmouth38119184661-1542
18Oxford UnitedOxford Utd381012163955-1642
19Hull City381011173947-841
20Stoke CityStoke38912173751-1439
21Cardiff CityCardiff38912174262-2039
22Derby CountyDerby38108204051-1138
23Luton TownLuton3898213460-2635
24Plymouth ArgylePlymouth38712194077-3733


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!