Norwich City welcome Aston Villa to Carrow Road for a huge bottom of Premier League clash as both teams look to boost their survival hopes.
Norwich can move away from the relegation zone with a win whilst Villa will leapfrog their fellow promoted rivals if they take victory and send the Canaries back into the bottom three.
Team news
Michael McGovern could start in goal for Norwich with Ralf Fahrmann a doubt with a muscular injury.
Tim Krul meanwhile is ruled out with a back injury, meaning that Archie Mair or Jon McCracken could be named on a Premier League team sheet for the first time as the back-up goalkeeper.
Tom Cantwell will face a late fitness test after suffering a hamstring strain in training, whilst Grant Hanley is out with a groin injury.
Ben Godfrey (face), Jamal Lewis (arm), Alexander Tettey (groin) and Mario Vrancic (calf) are all doubts, whilst Tom Trybull, Christoph Zimmerman (both ankle), Onel Hernandez and Timm Klose (both knee) are definitely absent for this match.
Villa will have Tyrone Mings available after the defender overcame a knock to his shin suffered during last weekend’s draw with Burnley.
Matt Targett (hamstring), Henri Lansbury (ankle) and Wesley (head) are also in contention to feature at Carrow Road.
James Chester (fitness) and Jonathan Kodjia (cheekbone) are still sidelined but should be ready to return to the first-team after the international break.
Form
Norwich have won just one of their last five matches but remain without an away victory this season, as they lost each of their last three away trips by 2-0 results.
Villa have seen a upturn in their fortunes with their five points coming from three of their last five league games, but have lost all three of their away league games so far of which all three took place in London.
Stat Attack
- Norwich have won three of their last five meetings with Aston Villa (W3, L2), of which all five took place in the Championship.
- In 14 previous Premier League meetings with Villa, Norwich have taken just 17 points from a possible 42 on offer (W4, D5, L7).
- Both teams have scored in their last four meetings which all came in the Championship.
- John McGinn is the only Villa player who has scored in two of their three away games so far this season, doing so against Tottenham and Arsenal.
- Norwich’s Mortiz Leitner is one of four players in the top flight who have hit the woodwork more than once, doing so on two occasions like his three fellow players (Sergio Aguero, Raul Jimenez & Marcus Rashford).
Prediction
Neither team has enjoyed the best of top flight returns but both can definitely score goals on their day, making this a good competitive game for the neutrals.
Norwich have seen more comfortable at home with their open style this season but Villa are looking decent on their travels and with Mings set to start, I can see a tough test between two contrasting teams here so am going for a draw.
Prediction: Norwich City 1-1 Aston Villa
Result: Norwich City 1-5 Aston Villa