Good afternoon! Norwich City will be looking for their first win in five matches as they host West Brom in the Premier League this afternoon. The team news has just been announces, so let's start with a look at the lineups.
Alex Neil has made three changes to the side that were thrashed by Newcastle last time out, with Matt Jarvis, Wes Hoolahan and Ryan Bennett all recalled to the starting lineup. Steven Whittaker, Graeme Dorran and Martin Olsson all drop to the bench.
Meanwhile, Tony Pulis has left his side unaltered following their 1-0 win over Sunderland, with Saido Berahino continuing up front alongside Salomon Rondon, with Rickie Lambert, who is still looking for his first goal at the club, left on the bench. James Morrison is still recovering from an ankle injury, so Stephane Sessegnon continues in midfield.
The visiting manager admits that his side need more up front, having scored just seven goals so far this season - the second-lowest in the Premier League.
Pulis's strikers might not have hit their stride yet this season, but this afternoon they face the leakiest defence in the top flight, with Norwich having conceded 20 goals in their first nine fixtures. Ahead of this match, Alex Neil told reporters: "After any defeat everything gets called into question; how you play, whether the personnel I pick are doing their jobs properly, so everything has been open to debate and things have been questioned. This week has been useful for that but it has to bear fruit come the weekend. The clean sheet is not something I have thought about because the focus is on winning a game, however, you want to keep clean sheets. I think it is going to be crucial for us over the course of the season if we want to win more games. It is certainly something we aim to improve on. It is a difficult balance, particularly being one of the smaller teams at this level, to have that attacking edge but also keeping the back door shut."
The home side have been struggling in recent weeks, having picked up just one win in their last seven fixtures in the Premier League, while losing their most recent two fixtures. Only three teams have picked up fewer points from their last six games.
West Brom have been in mixed form, with two wins and two defeats from their last four fixtures. The Baggies' best form has come way from home though, with the team losing just one of four fixtures away from The Hawthorns so far this campaign.
Unusually for this stage of this season, this is not the first time that this team teams have met during the 2015-16 campaign. The duo also met at Carrow Road last month in the League Cup, with Norwich picking up a 3-0 victory. None of the players that were on the scoresheet in that match start this afternoon though.
Ahead of this match, West Brom defender Craig Dawson told the club's website: "Carrow Road is a nice ground but their fans are really close to the pitch so it makes playing there quite difficult. They are a good side and it would be nice to get an early goal to dampen the atmosphere. It will be a tough match, we know what they will be like having already played there in the Capital One Cup earlier on in the season."
Coming into this match, Norwich are just three points clear of the relegation zone, sitting 16th in the table. A defeat this afternoon would leave the Canaries in striking distance for 18th-placed Newcastle, who play tomorrow.
West Brom have picked up two points more than their opponents so far, leaving them 13th in the standings ahead of this afternoon's kickoff, just one place behind defending champions Chelsea. A win this afternoon could move the visitors as high as eighth.
West Brom will have a week off after this match, but Norwich have just three days to get ready for their next outing, as they travel to Everton in the League Cup on Tuesday, before a tricky trip to the Etihad to face current Premier League leaders Manchester City next weekend.
Norwich's win over the Baggies in the League Cup last month was their fifth win in seven meetings with West Brom, while the two sides have not shared a draw since 2004.
Goals might have been difficult to come by for West Brom so far this season, but a solid defence down the other end has kept them in the majority of their fixtures. As you can see from this Opta stat, no side has more clean sheets in the Premier League since Pulis's appointment:
15 - WBA have kept a league-high 15 clean sheets in the Premier League since Tony Pulis' first game in charge of them on Jan 10, 2015. Solid
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 24, 2015
This isn't the only match taking place in the Premier League this afternoon, with five fixtures getting underway at 3pm. You can find live coverage of all the top flight matches here.
PREDICTION! The players will be heading out of the tunnel in the next few minutes, so there's just time for a quick prediction. With Norwich's defensive difficulties and West Brom's scoring problems, it could be a close one. Draws are rare between these two sides, but I'm going for a 1-1 draw this afternoon.
Here come the teams! Both sides run out in front of a packed Carrow Road. It's quite overcast and wintry-looking in Norwich this afternoon, with the Premier League bringing out the winter ball for this weekend's round of fixtures.
REFEREE WATCH! Kevin Friend takes charge of this afternoon's fixtures. He's been busy in his four matches so far this season, dishing out three red cards and 21 yellow cards.
It's been a wide open first few minutes as the home side try to get on the attack early, with Matt Jarvis flicking the ball forward for Nathan Redmond down the left, but West Brom deal with it swiftly. West Brom quickly press down the other end, with Berahino trying to get an early sight of the Norwich goal, but the striker can't get his effort away.
CHANCE! It's Norwich who have the first real chance of the afternoon as Redmond receives a cross from the left on the edge of the six-yard box, and knocks it back for the unmarked Wes Hoolahan, who hits it first time with plenty of power, but not enough accuracy.
CHANCE!Chris Brunt unleashes a rasping effort from the edge of the box as McAuley squares the ball to the defender, who blasts it towards the top right, but John Ruddy tips the ball away at full stretch.
No sooner has Brunt force a save from Ruddy than Norwich have got the ball back down the other end. Jonny Howson tries his luck with a 25-yard drive, but the finish was always rising, and ends up in the crowd behind the West Brom goal.
James McClean clips Mbokani's heels as the striker tries to cross the ball in towards Redmond, giving the home side a free kick on the right-hand side of the penalty area. Wes Hoolahan lines it up, but curls it wide.
West Brom break down the other end on the counter-attack, with Stephane Sessegnon taking it down the right before crossing it in towards Rondon, who is lurking at the near post, but there's just a bit too much on the ball, allowing Ruddy, who is celebrating his 29th birthday today, to claim it.
CHANCE! Norwich continue to enjoy the majority of the possession, with Tettey attempting to thump the ball in from the edge of the box, only to see Jonny Evans get the block in, although the powerful shot certainly made an impact on the defender, who takes a couple of seconds to get back to his feet. Nathan Redmond gets a chance moments later as the ball is played back in, but Boaz Myhill makes a diving save to deny the England Under-21 international.
There's a potential problem for West Brom as Saido Berahino has gone down holding his knee. The striker has scored three of the team's seven Premier League goals so far, so they certainly wouldn't want to lose him so early on. It looks like an accidental clash with the boot of Alex Tettey did the damage. Berahino is receiving treatment, but he's back on his feet and should be alright to return in a few moments.
Jonny Howson needs to be careful as he makes another reckless challenge just a few moments after picking up the yellow card, giving West Brom a free kick in a promising position. Yacob launches the ball forward looking for Rondon, but Norwich make the clearance.
Redmond quickly breaks down the other end, with Sessegnon out of position to give the winger plenty of space down the left. He crosses in towards Hoolahan, earning a corner for the hosts. McAuley has to put it behind again as Redmond delivers a brilliant cross, but Myhill is able to gather from the second Norwich corner. West Brom are looking a little shaky at the back, particularly when Redmond is involved.
CHANCE! A brilliant free kick from Craig Dawson almost results in the opening goal for West Brom as Rondon makes a run towards the goal, almost getting his boot to it as he looks to tap in from close range, but the club's record signing was half a stride too late with his run, leaving the ball to go behind for a goal kick. That looked like something that they've been working on at the training ground, and it almost paid dividends.
West Brom have been enjoying the better of the chances in the last 10 minutes or so, but Norwich are started to pile forward again, with Mbokani playing the ball out wide for Jarvis, who tries to put a low cross back in for the striker, but he's unable to beat Brunt to the ball.
Mbokani is on the charge again, bursting back into the box while looking to collect a ball from Tettey, but he's just offside. Redmond wins it back and plays it down the right for Martin, but Brunt is able to put it out for a Norwich throw in. The Canaries have certainly upped the tempo in the last couple of minutes.
CHANCE! Matt Jarvis loops the ball in from the left for Mbokani, but the striker can't get his head to it. Redmond is waiting behind him though, and attempts to tap in at the far post, firing just high. Redmond was a little unlucky, as he surely expected Mbokani to get something on that.
CHANCE! Despite Norwich's increased urgency in the last few minutes, Chris Brunt suddenly gets another chance down the other end, unleashing a low, swerving strike from almost 30 yards out, but Ruddy spots it at the last moment and turns it around the post, giving the visitors their first corner of the match. The keeper punches the initial delivery away, before Brunt tries to curl it back in, but there's too much on it for Dawson.
CHANCES! Both goalkeepers are having to be on high alert in the final moments of the first half as Gareth McAuley tries to head in from a set piece for the visitors, forcing a fingertip stop from Ruddy. That allows Norwich to quickly break back down the other end, but Howson's low finish is kept out by Myhill, while Mbokani can only turn the rebound wide.
Clearly neither side think 0-0 is a fair reflection of the first half as Berahino sprints back towards the Norwich goal, looking to get on the end of a long ball forward from McAuley, before Tettey wins it back and gets Norwich back into a strong position, while Rondon nods over for West Brom following a frantic few moments.
So, neither sides manage to open the scoring in the first 45 minutes at Carrow Road, but both teams have shown plenty of attacking intent in an entertaining first half. If both sides can maintain this after the break, it's unlikely that this will finish goalless.
In the first half, it was Norwich who had the majority of the possession, seeing 63% of the ball. The hosts also created more chances with nine shots to West Brom's five, but both teams have had two efforts on target.
What a header from Salomon Rondon, putting West Brom ahead less than two minutes into the second half. The record signing rises highest in the penalty area to put a bullet header into the top right corner following a lofted ball into the box from James McClean. Brilliant start to the half for the visitors.
CHANCE! Norwich try to respond quickly as Brady makes a run through the middle before curling it into the box for Mbokani, but the striker can't reach it in time.
Norwich are beginning to dominate the possession again as they look to get back on level terms. Redmond is continuing to cause problems, floating the ball into the box after making a run down the left, but the visitors manage to force the ball out for a goal kick.
West Brom try to halt Norwich's dominance by stringing together some passes in midfield, with Berahino, Yacob and Brunt all getting touches. All 10 of West Brom's wins under Tony Pulis have been by a 1-0 scoreline, so the visitors could be thinking about defending for the remainder of the match to make sure they see out the win.
Brunt catches Hoolahan as the home side suddenly break forward, giving the Canaries a free kick. Brady and Redmond are involved as they get the ball forward to Jarvis, who sends a low cross in for Mbokani, but McClean gets it clear for the visitors.
Norwich are really putting the West Brom defence under pressure as they desperately try to get the goal back. Jarvis pulls it back for Hoolahan, but the striker can only scuff his shot wide from the middle of the penalty area.
A through ball sets up James McClean on the edge of the box, leaving the West Brom man to unleash a curling effort towards the top right, but Ruddy spots the threat and pulls off a spectacular save to stop the visitors doubling their lead.
Norwich quickly clear the resulting corner, allowing Mbokani to go on the counter-attack, but he's hacked down by Evans and Sessegnon, giving the home side a free kick in a promising position. Both sides have numbers back as Redmond lines it up, but it's Myhill who gets to the curling delivery first.
Norwich have a corner as a result of Myhill's intervention, which Hoolahan delivers to Mbokani at the far post. The striker gets his head to it, but Myhill is there is turn it around the post again, while the next corner is overhit by Redmond. West Brom will breath a sigh of relief after that spell!
BOOKING! Chris Brunt is the first player in the book for the visitors as the defender catches the charging Wes Hoolahan on the right sideline, sending the Norwich striker tumbling.
Norwich have a free kick as a result of Brunt's foul, but the curling ball in from the right is swiftly dealt with by Claudio Yacob. Tettey wins it back in midfield before sliding it forward to Russell Martin. Despite having Jarvis and Mbokani in the box, Martin takes the shot on himself from the edge of the box, blasting it well high.
SUB! The visitors make the first change of the match as goal-scorer Salomon Rondon makes way for Rickie Lambert, who has not scored in a competitive fixture since January.
Lambert tries to get involved straight away, playing a quick one-two with Berahino before being floored by a sliding challenge from Ryan Bennett, winning a free kick around 25 yards out for the visitors.
BOOKING! A few reckless challenges are starting to fly in now, and Kevin Friend is having none of it, booking James McClean for a clumsy challenge on Tettey.
Robbie Brady tries to force something for the home side from the free kick following McClean's foul, but his long ball into the box is straight into the hands of Myhill. The home side quickly come again though, with Jarvis, who has been just relentless down the left this afternoon, forcing another corner.
CHANCE! Jarvis takes the corner, targeting Cameron Jerome, but Myhill is there again to deny the substitute. The Welsh keeper has had another solid afternoon between the posts for West Brom.
CHANCE! Norwich continue to bang on the door as full time nears, with Redmond providing yet another excellent ball into the box, this time setting up Sebastien Bassong for the header, but the defender's finish was just high.
CHANCE!Boaz Myhill continues to frustrate Norwich as Alex Tettey spots a gap from 30 yards out, unleashing a powerful low strike, but it's straight at the keeper, leaving him with a relatively comfortable stop.
SUB! West Brom make another change, and it's one that should help them see out the remaining few minutes as Craig Gardner takes the place of Saido Berahino.
Jarvis wins another corner for the home side, but Norwich can't make the most of it as Brady sees his shot blocked. Norwich have three minutes of stoppage time to try to find the elusive equaliser.
Redmond has run relentlessly all afternoon Norwich and he comes again, this time sprinting down the right before crossing in towards Mbokani, but Sessegnon is back to make the block.
So, Salomon Rondon's header at the start of the second half is enough to secure all three points for Tony Pulis's West Bromwich Albion, while Norwich's run without a win is extended to five matches.
Norwich certainly created plenty of chances, and worked hard to try to get back on level terms, but they just couldn't find the elusive finish to beat in-form West Brom keeper Boaz Myhill, who now has six clean sheets this season.
Well, that's all from this match, but stick around as there's more action to come in the Premier League with Arsenal facing Everton from 5.30pm. Thanks for joining me this afternoon. Goodbye.
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