Back to the well
Norwich City will be looking to make it back-to-back wins after the Championship’s resumption when they welcome Blackburn Rovers to Carrow Road on Saturday evening.
Dean Smith will tussle with Jon Dahl Tomasson on the Sky Sports evening slot in the absence of Premier League action, increasing the spotlight on the two sides competing towards the top end of the second tier.
That said, it has been a very weird season where Rovers are concerned and it feels very unlikely that they will stick around in the top six for the remainder of the campaign, especially if Ben Brereton Diaz leaves the club in January.
Background
Jacob Lungi Sorensen, Marcelino Nunez and Sam Byram will miss out due to injury at the weekend for the Canaries, while Rovers will be without Harry Pickering and Jack Vale.
Tomasson has had to lean on a number of younger players this season, on the whole they have stood up to the challenge in very impressive fashion, but it is halting the clubs progress on the pitch and could bite them in the coming weeks and months.
Norwich have unsustainably overperformed to concede just 23 goals from 30.0 expected goals (xG), allowing chances on their own at an average of 1.36 xGA per game.
A process that will likely hold them back in hoping to re-join the automatic promotion race.
The Canaries are odds on favourites and looking at the underlying numbers it is fair for them to be so, also despite being unsuccessful last week against Preston North End, I am content diving in on a larger price while Rovers’ season drags on without them registering a draw.
Norwich have not been convincing going forward since the opening couple of months of the season, and with Nunez out of the side it is harder for them to break teams down.
Rovers have players capable of stepping up in their rearguard and could be even tighter in responding to the debacle against North End.
Goals?
Unders potentially an angle, but it feels like we are still getting a gauge for where sides are after the break.
Norwich have scored in seven of ten.
Norwich have conceded in eight of ten.
Norwich have seen both teams score in six of ten.
Norwich have seen over 2.5 goals in six of ten.
Rovers have scored in seven of ten.
Rovers have conceded in seven of ten.
Rovers have seen both teams score in four of ten.
Rovers have seen over 2.5 goals in five of ten.
Post bet chat Marcus's Tips:
2-0 Blackburn, the draw will come, but an unsuccessful stance.