Facing a make-or-break situation in their faltering bid for the playoffs, Norwich City will host top-six occupants West Bromwich Albion at Carrow Road on Saturday afternoon in a Championship match.
The Canaries' poor form prior to the international break has seen them slip away from promotion contention slightly, whereas the Baggies remain in the heat of the playoff battle with eight games of the regular season remaining.
Match preview
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A main character in Championship campaigns of recent times - winning league titles in both 2019 and 2021 - Norwich City have been forced to settle for a side role in the second-tier drama this term, with Saturday's hosts currently staring a measly mid-table finish in the face.
The Canaries collapsed into the final international break of the 2024-25 campaign following back-to-back league defeats at the hands of Sheffield Wednesday and playoff rivals Bristol City, with the East Anglian club earning victory from just one of their last eight matches.
A cause for optimism during the losses to the Owls and the Robins recently, silky Spaniard Borja Sainz netted in both contests prior to the two-week hiatus, and the winger remains at the summit of the Championship's Golden Boot race with 17 strikes across 33 second-tier appearances.
Winless across a quartet of Championship clashes in March so far, Johannes Hoff Thorup's men head into the final contest of the month languishing down in 13th place in the league standings, eight points behind this weekend's visitors West Brom, who are guarding entry to the playoffs.
Whilst those of a green and yellow persuasion in East Anglia have not always been the enjoyers of victorious afternoons supporting their side at Carrow Road this term - as shown by Norwich ranking 14th in terms of home form - the Canaries have represented an exciting watch, scoring 44 goals in 19 matches at the venue.
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After alternating between defeat and victory across Tony Mowbray's opening five matches during his second stint in charge in the Black Country, West Bromwich Albion have found a little patch of consistency which could take them a long way in securing a spot in the post-season playoffs.
The Baggies are currently enjoying a six-game unbeaten streak as the Championship campaign reaches its business end, a run which includes hard-fought draws on the road against Leeds United and Burnley - two sides who have appeared head and shoulders above the rest of the division at points this term.
Last suffering defeat in the middle of February - when a managerless Blackburn Rovers snatched a shock three points at The Hawthorns - West Brom are currently occupying sixth spot in the Championship rankings, level on points with seventh-placed Bristol City, who are in the midst of a seven-game unbeaten spell.
Whilst the January addition of Adam Armstrong on loan from Southampton stole the headlines in the West Midlands, fellow winter arrival Isaac Price has shown the potential to blossom into a Championship star, with the capable midfielder finding the net in each of his last three matches across Baggies and Northern Ireland duty.
Although Mowbray has made successful strides towards addressing West Brom's inconsistency, Albion are still battling against their inability to earn maximum points on the road, with Saturday's visitors to Carrow Road failing to win any of their last 12 away matches in all competitions.
Team News
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Norwich remain without the services of first-choice goalkeeper Angus Gunn, with the Scotland international picking up a muscular injury at the beginning of March.
With the experienced 29-year-old in the medical room, fellow veteran George Long will continue to deputise in between the sticks for the Canaries, protected by a centre-back pairing of Shane Duffy and Jose Cordoba.
Receiving a straight red card during the draw with Queens Park Rangers at the start of the month, West Brom's Darnell Furlong will serve the final match of his three-game suspension this weekend.
Semi Ajayi's hamstring woes limit Mowbray's options in defence further, meaning that Jayson Molumby or even goalscoring Price could operate at right-back in East Anglia.
Baggies fans have received a sobering update on the fitness of leading marksman Josh Maja (calf), who is a major doubt to feature before the conclusion of the regular season.
Norwich City possible starting lineup:
Long; Fisher, Duffy, Cordoba, Doyle; Sorensen, Nunez, Marcondes; Crnac, Sainz, Sargent
West Bromwich Albion possible starting lineup:
Wildsmith; Holgate, Bartley, Heggem, Styles; Mowatt, Molumby, Price; Fellows, Johnston, Armstrong
We say: Norwich City 2-1 West Bromwich Albion
With only Leeds United boasting a better attacking record on home soil in the Championship, Norwich should be confident of putting a few strikes past a West Brom outfit who struggle away from The Hawthorns.
Mowbray is still working out his strongest XI given the array of forward options at his disposal, with the visitors likely to suffer defeat this weekend.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Carter White
