2019-20 Premier League: Week 30 – Norwich vs Southampton

Norwich City kick off a double dose of Friday Night Football as they welcome Southampton to Carrow Road.

Norwich can move to within three points of safety with a home win whilst Southampton can climb above Newcastle into 13th with victory. 

 

Team News

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Norwich will have Timm Klose available for selection after recovering from a long-term knee injury during lockdown. 

Christoph Zimmerman (back), Sam Byram (hamstring) and Grant Hanley (hamstring) are ruled out for remainder of season whilst Onel Hernandez (knee) is a doubt. 

Marco Stiepermann will also be absent as he self-isolates after testing positive for Coronavirus. 

Southampton could have Shane Long available if he can prove his fitness after suffering a muscle issue in a mini pre-season. 

Moussa Djenepo meanwhile begins a three match ban after being red-carded in the Saints’ last match against Newcastle back in March.

 

Stat Attack

• Norwich are winless in four of their last six meetings against Southampton in all competitions (W1, D1, L4).
• Southampton have scored 12 goals across five of their last six matches against Norwich in all competitions.
• Norwich have kept a clean sheet in their last three home Premier League games against Southampton, winning the latter two by 1-0 results.
• No Premier League player has made more clearances this season than Southampton’s Jan Bednarek who has produced 158 clearances. 
• 11 of Norwich’s 25 league goals this season has come from Teemu Pukki. 

 

Prediction

Lockdown probably came at the right time for Norwich who certainly would of gone down on performance alone, but this break has given Daniel Farke time to work on his team’s poor defending which will be key to their survival hopes. 

Southampton’s defence however at times can be no better than Norwich which makes this tough to predict, let alone the psyiological impact of no crowd to push both teams forward. 

I therefore can see a scrappy game here between two attack minded teams who lack the defensive consistency, although I am going to go for an away win because Southampton currently seem to relish playing Norwich based on recent form. 

Prediction: Norwich 0-1 Southampton

Result: Norwich 0-3 Southampton