Norwich vs Sunderland predictions: Canaries can maintain play-off push

- Norwich have won last four home games, despite conceding in each of last three
- Sunderland have lost three of last four away matches but have scored in five of last six
- Recommended Bet: Back Norwich to win and both teams to score

Norwich will look to close the gap on the play-off places when they entertain Sunderland at Carrow Road on Saturday afternoon.

David Wagner's Canaries returned from Blackburn with a hard-earned point last weekend and, as Hull also drew 1-1, that keeps them within three points of the sixth-placed Tigers.

Sunderland, meanwhile, have dropped off the pace in the last few weeks as a three-match losing run has left them five points behind Norwich.

Team news

Wagner will be without two of his forwards for extended periods as Onel Hernandez joined Jonathan Rowe (hamstring) on the sidelines when he broke his foot in training this week.

While further scans will be required to see if the Cuban requires surgery, Rowe is at least clear on that front after suffering his injury in the final minute of last month's 2-2 draw at Queens Park Rangers.

Attacking midfielder Marcelino Nunez came off in the closing stages of the 1-1 draw at Ewood Park and is not expected back for another week.

And there was mixed news of two defenders with Shane Duffy (calf) ruled out until after the upcoming international while Grant Hanley (shin) has been declared fit and available to face the Black Cats.

As for Sunderland, they suffered a huge blow when it emerged that winger Jack Clarke would be out for up to six weeks because of ankle ligament damage.

Patrick Roberts is currently under treatment for a hamstring strain and first-choice full-back Niall Huggins is out for the remainder of the campaign because of a serious knee injury.

Corry Evans has finally made a return to full training 13 months after he tore his ACL, but the midfielder is thought to be some way off making a return to first-team action.

The stats

Norwich have won seven of their last nine home league fixtures, including four in a row since January — they last won five such games in a row in April 2019.

But the Canaries have lost their last three games against Sunderland at Carrow Road after an unbeaten run of 10 home games against the Black Cats (W7 D3).

The Wearsiders have lost seven of their last 12 away league matches, including the last two, while they have only won one in that run.

But Sunderland are looking to complete their first league double over Norwich since the 1984-85 top-flight campaign — the season when they lost to the Canaries in the League Cup Final at Wembley.

Prediction

The timing of Clarke's injury could hardly have been worse for Sunderland as they are due to face four of the top seven during an intense period over the next few weeks.

The ex-Leeds star is far and away the most productive player on Mike Dodds' squad with 15 goals and four assists to his name.

Sunderland will struggle to find attacking solutions in open play without him and may ultimately fall to a fourth defeat in a row, but they can target Norwich on set pieces.

The Black Cats have been among the best in the Championship at creating opportunities from set plays and Norwich have been one of the more vulnerable teams when defending them.

Blackburn's equaliser last week came from a corner and it appears as though the Canaries defenders can be hesitant when the ball is delivered into their box.

But Norwich have enough attacking potential to pull out another win with both teams on the scoresheet yet again.

Back Norwich to win and Both to Score at 12/5 with LiveScore Bet.

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