2022-23 Sky Bet Championship: Week 18 – Wednesday

Norwich City welcome QPR to Carrow Road in a crunch Sky Bet Championship clash as both teams battle for promotion. 

Victory would see Norwich leapfrog QPR into fourth whilst Michael Beale’s Hoops can go second with a win.

 

Team News

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Josh Sargent is again ruled out for Norwich after he missed Saturday’s win against Stoke with a calf injury.

Dimi Giannoulis (rib) is also sidelined after he too missed the Canaries’ victory at the weekend.

Jacob Sorensen, Jonathan Rowe (shin) Andrew Omobamidele (both ankle) and Adam Idah (knee) remain absent.

QPR could welcome Chris Willock back into contention following his recovery from a hamstring injury.

Jake Clarke-Salter, Jimmy Dunne (both knee), Tyler Roberts (calf) and Stefan Johansen (ankle) are ruled out.

 

Stat Attack

• Norwich have lost just one of their last seven meetings against QPR (W5, D1, L1).
• QPR have won just one of their last 17 league visits to Carrow Road (W1, D4, L12).
• Three of the last four draws between Norwich and QPR at Carrow Road have finished in 1-1 result, except for a goalless draw in February 1998.
• Norwich have claimed just four points from their last four home matches (W1, D1, L2).
• QPR have kept just one clean sheet in their last four away matches – which came in a 1-0 win against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane in October 2022.

 

Prediction

Amidst excellent aggressive attacking intensity and clinical finishing against Stoke, Norwich certainly weren’t at their best because they often lacked patience at times yet were the better team eventually despite poor marking of Nick Powell’s goal.

Having endured a difficult away defeat at Birmingham City on Friday evening, QPR have to simply come here and show more passion when off the ball and in need to chase first or second balls, whilst also showing a more polished end product if they’re to stand any chance at their hoodoo away ground.

Goals therefore feels guaranteed here but if QPR can respond to Friday’s lacklustre defeat with a much stronger performance, they should stand a chance of ending their nightmare run at Carrow Road but Norwich are a tough team to beat so this could well be close.

Prediction: Norwich 1-1 QPR

Result: Norwich 0-0 QPR