Norwich City welcome Middlesbrough to Carrow Road in Saturday’s big Sky Bet Championship clash.
Victory would move Norwich nine points clear of Swansea for at least a few hours, whereas Boro can stay seventh with a win but move closer towards the play-off spots.
Team News
Jordan Hugill is ruled out for Norwich after suffering a torn hamstring during last weekend’s FA Cup exit at Barnsley.
Dimitris Giannoulis (personal), Xavi Quintilla (hip), Christoph Zimmerman, Todd Cantwell, Teemu Pukki (side strain) and Adam Idah (knee/foot) are all in contention to make returns
Sebastian Soto (fitness), Kenny McLean (Coronavirus), Marco Stiepermann (illness), Michael McGovern and Sam Byram (both hamstring) are ruled out.
Middlesbrough have new signings Yannick Bolasie and Darnell Fisher available for selection.
Dael Fry could also feature following a horror facial injury sustained during last Sunday’s defeat to Blackburn.
Grant Hall (thigh) and Ashley Fletcher (hamstring) are ruled out as they continue to rebuild their match fitness, instead participating in a youth match against Huddersfield on Friday in which they drew 2-2.
Stat Attack
- Norwich are unbeaten in their last six meeting against Middlesbrough, keeping clean sheets across all of those six matches (W6).
- Middlesbrough have taken four points from their last five league trips to Carrow Road (W1, D1, L3).
- Norwich have won each of last five matches against Middlesbrough by 1-0 results.
- Three of Boro’s last five away league goals came before half-time.
- Four of Norwich’s last six league goals at home have come after half-time.
Prediction
Norwich certainly will be keen to hit back here after a shock FA Cup loss at Barnsley last weekend and with players like Pukki and Cantwell back, you have to feel that we could well see the Canaries come out fighting to prove that performance was just an one-off and not the beginning of a slump.
Middlesbrough meanwhile have conceded four goals in the last week without reply at home so will be relieved to get back on the road again, although I do feel that Boro will do most of the defending here given Norwich’s home form.
A good result therefore would be a goalless draw but given the Teessiders’ inconsistency, I am going for a home win.
Prediction: Norwich 1-0 Middlesbrough
Result: Norwich 0-0 Middlesbrough