Saturday’s big Championship clash sees League leaders, Norwich City face a tough away trip to Play-Off chasing Swansea City as they meet at the Liberty Stadium.
As former Premier League clubs, both teams want to return to the Promised Land which makes this clash a potentially pivotal test of their promotion credentials, and could prove key come end of season.
Team news
Embed from Getty ImagesSwansea could welcome Bersant Celina back to the starting eleven, after he sat out the international break with a groin injury picked up last time out.
Tom Carroll however is sidelined with a hip problem whilst Luciano Narsingh remains out with a hamstring injury.
Wilfried Bony is closing in on full fitness again after making a brief substitute appearance last time out, having spent months sidelined with a knee injury.
The Swans had six players away on international duty and all have returned injury free, ready to potentially feature here.
Norwich will be without defender, Grant Hanley who will instead participate in their U23s match against Southampton as he steps up his recovery from a thigh injury.
Matt Jarvis (ankle/knee) is also expected to start featuring for the youth side soon as part of his return to match fitness, whilst Carlton Morris (knee) and Louis Thompson remain sidelined.
Midfielder, Kenny McLean is still a few weeks away from being considered after having ankle surgery.
Form
Swansea enter this match in fine form with three wins and two defeats from their last five matches.
After failing to score against Aston Villa, the Swans have netted in each of their last four with Oli McBurnie netting three goals in two of his last three appearances.
Norwich meanwhile have lost just once in their last 12 league matches but have kept only five clean sheets.
The Canaries have also scored four in each of their last two outings with all eight goals coming after the break, as Teemu Pukki netted a brace in both games.
Stat Attack
- Swansea are unbeaten in four of last five against Norwich (W2, D2, L1) whilst keeping clean sheets in their last two home wins against the Canaries.
- Norwich are Europe’s fourth best performing team from last 11 league matches. Only PSG, Juventus and Manchester City are in better form than the Canaries.
- Swansea have kept three clean sheets in last five home league games.
- Norwich have averaged 2.4 yellow cards across their last five away games whilst keeping only two clean disciplinary sheets across the season so far.
- Oli McBurnie has scored four of Swansea’s six first half goals at home this season. Jay Fulton and Courtney Baker-Richardson were the other two players who scored before halt time, netting one each.
Prediction
Both teams are in fine form entering this meeting which gives me the feeling that we are in for either a drab affair or a thriller.
Although Norwich will mount a tough fight, I am going for a Swansea win given their recent record over the discipline struggling Canaries, who are surely due a red card or multiple suspensions if not careful.
Prediction: Swansea City 2-1 Norwich City
Result: Swansea City 1-4 Norwich City