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Norwich logo
Championship
Feb 14, 2015 at 3pm UK
 
Wolves logo

2-0

Johnson (28'), Grabban (67')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Preview: Norwich City vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers

Sports Mole looks ahead to Saturday's Championship showdown between the two leaders of the playoff-chasing pack as Norwich host Wolves at Carrow Road.

The leading two in the chasing pack for the playoffs will face off in the Championship this weekend as Norwich City host Wolverhampton Wanderers at Carrow Road.

Just one place and two points separate the sides going into the match, with the hosts sitting in seventh position and Wolves immediately behind them in eighth.

However, the vast gap in goal difference effectively makes it a three-point gap, and Norwich will be hoping to extend that further still on Saturday.

Back-to-back victories have seen Alex Neil's side move to within two points of sixth-placed Brentford, and any slip-up from the Bees away to Charlton Athletic this weekend would give Norwich the chance to climb back into the playoff places.

Incidentally, it was Charlton who provided the most recent opponents for Norwich, a match that saw Cameron Jerome net a late winner after the Addicks had previously come from two goals down to equalise.

They are now looking to make it three wins in a row for the first time since August, while Neil has still only been beaten once since taking over at the club towards the start of January.

The Canaries have won four of their last five games at Carrow Road and have been in fine scoring form in the process, finding the net 18 times in those four wins while conceding only three goals.

Gary Hooper netted a hat-trick in his last home match for the club and should retain his place up front, while Jerome is once again likely to find himself on the bench despite scoring the winner on Tuesday.

Wolves also go into the game off the back of a midweek victory, and their 4-1 triumph away to Huddersfield Town was a timely one for Kenny Jackett.

It ended a three-game winless streak that saw them slip off the pace in the playoff battle, but a second straight victory this weekend - something they haven't yet managed in 2015 - would see them climb back into seventh.

Wolves have at least become harder to beat since their dreadful slump in form in November and early December, losing just one of their last 12 matches in all competitions excluding penalties.

Indeed, they have not lost on the road since November, a run of six matches that has seen them concede only three goals in the process.

Nouha Dicko returned to the side to score twice in the victory over Huddersfield and is beginning to form a potent attacking force with Bakary Sako, now back from the Africa Cup of Nations, and Benik Afobe, who has scored in three of his five appearances for the club since joining in January.

That trio is expected to start once again, while at the other end of the pitch Tomasz Kuszczak will continue to deputise for the injured Carl Ikeme having impressed in midweek.

Norwich:

Recent form: WWLDWW

Possible starting lineup: Ruddy; Whittaker, Martin, Bassong, Olsson; Redmond, Tettey, Howson, Johnson; Grabban, Hooper

Wolves:

Form in Championship: WWDDLW
Form in all competitions: LWDDLW

Possible starting lineup: Kuszczak; Doherty, Batth, Stearman, Iorfa; McDonald, Price, Van La Parra, Afobe, Sako; Dicko

Sports Mole says: 2-2


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Benik Afobe of Wolverhampton Wanderers beats the challenge from Andre Bikey of Charlton Athletic during the Sky Bet Championship match on January 24, 2015
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