Norwich City take on Aston Villa at Carrow Road on Monday in what is arguably for both, a ‘must win’ game.
There is, I think it’s fair to say, still a little bit of needle between the two sets of fans since the acrimonious departure of Paul Lambert to Villa Park in 2012.
Lambert is of course long gone but I sense that the bitterness remains. The fact we have such an appalling recent record against Villa, doesn’t help either.
Villa have won the last four matches against us with three of those victories coming at Carrow Road.
The fact that both sides know they have to win will make for a very tense afternoon.
Vital Quotes:
Norwich City manager Alex Neil:
“There are games in and about you that you’ve got to win, so I would probably call it a must-win, even though I don’t think anything’s going to be determined by this particular game.”
“However, three points against them certainly makes things a lot better. It’s a snowball effect between now and the end of the season. Every game becomes bigger if you don’t win games.”
Norwich City Team News:
Wes Hoolahan and Gary O’Neil will be back after being rested for the trip to Spurs while Andre Wisdom could return from a hamstring strain. Matt Jarvis is back in training but won’t be risked.
Player to watch: Wes Hoolahan
Rested against Spurs, the little wizard will be back in the starting XI. He is at his best at home and against a fragile defence, he does his best work.
Aston Villa Team News:
Carlos Sanchez definitely misses out with a hamstring strain he suffered against West Ham. Captain Micah Richards could return after missing the last four games.
Player to watch: Jordan Ayew
Ayew’s goals have been single handedly keeping Villa in with a shout of late. His equalizer against West Ham the latest evidence of that.
Match Facts & Stats
The Canaries have only managed one win in six games (W1, D2, L3).
Norwich haven’t won their final league game in a calendar year since 2010, losing in each of the previous three years and drawing in 2011.
They have only kept one clean sheet this season, the fewest in the division. Villa have only kept two.
The Canaries have scored just four times in their last five league games at Carrow Road. Three of those goals have come from corners.
Villa have gone a club record 17 league matches without a win since beating Bournemouth on the opening day of the season.
They have earned just two points from their subsequent eight away matches, although they have drawn the last two.
Remi Garde still awaits his first victory as Villa’s manager after seven attempts (D4, L3).
They are the Premier League’s lowest scorers this season with 15 goals after 18 matches.
Jordan Ayew has scored in five of his last nine league games for the club
Match Prediction:
It will be a very tense afternoon for both sets of supporters. It could come down to which ever side is able to overcome the nerves and play the ball around. Having said that, games like this can also be very scrappy, so who knows.
With home advantage and Villa in wretched form this season, Norwich have a great opportunity to take all three points. I’m sure Alex Neil will demand nothing less. Remi Garde’s men face Norwich and then Sunderland and he has said he thinks they need to win at least one of them, let’s make sure it’s not this one, eh boys?!
Next Fixtures:
It’s Southampton at home for Norwich while Villa face Sunderland at Villa Park on Saturday 2/1/16.
