Newcastle United face a tough test as they welcome relegation battling Norwich City to St James’ Park.
Victory could lift Newcastle back into the top ten whilst Norwich will remain rock-bottom no matter the result.
Team news
Embed from Getty ImagesAndy Carroll and Florian Lejeune set to return for Newcastle United after missing their FA Cup draw against Oxford United with respective hip and groin injuries.
New signings, Valentino Lazaro, Nabil Bentaleb and Danny Rose are all in contention to start.
Javier Manquillo, Dwight Gayle and Jonjo Shelvey (al hamstring), Emil Krafth (ankle), Yoshinori Muto (hip), Jack Colback, Jetro Willems (both knee), Paul Dummett (tendon) and Ki Sung-Yeung (knock) are all ruled out.
Norwich could welcome Ibrahim Amadou back from a knee injury which kept him out of the Canaries’ FA Cup win at Burnley last weekend.
Todd Cantwell (hamstring) and Emiliano Buendia (thigh) are also expected to be in contention.
Ben Godfrey is serving the last of a three match ban as Timm Klose remains out with a knee injury.
Form
Newcastle have taken five points from their last three league games (W1, D2), whilst taking three wins from their last five home league matches (W3, L2).
Norwich have scored in four of their last five league games (W1, D2, L2) but have taken just one point from their last five away trips (D1, L4).
Stat Attack
- Newcastle have lost two of their last five meetings against Norwich (W2, D1, L2).
- Both teams have scored in each of their last five meetings, in which Norwich has scored at least twice on each occasion.
- Norwich haven’t won in seven previous Premier League trips to Newcastle (D1, L6).
- Newcastle’s last five league goals at home have all come after half time.
- Norwich are yet to receive a Premier League penalty against Newcastle after 15 previous meetings.
Prediction
Norwich seem to have found some attacking form lately which is crucial against a defensive team like Newcastle, who have been inconsistent yet capable of grinding out those results.
It’s therefore difficult to predict which way this game will go, especially given recent thrillers between these two teams but I don’t see any repeat here because of the contrast in defence between these teams.
I therefore won’t be surprised by a score draw but Norwich needs this more so am expecting them to dig deep like they did at Burnley last weekend, and get that vital win to realistically keep their survival hopes alive.
Prediction: Newcastle United 1-2 Norwich City
Result: Newcastle United 0-0 Norwich City
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