Norwich vs Arsenal: Preview & Prediction

Norwich City will be hoping to take advantage of Arsenal’s midweek Champions League excursions as they aim to pull further clear of the bottom-three at Carrow Road.

After losing five of their six league games since the start of October, the Canaries will be looking to gain anything they can as another defeat here would see them sit just two points clear of Bournemouth in 18th place.

Alex Neil and his side will take confidence from West Brom’s victory over the Gunners last week and in recent weeks it is clear the Scot has set up his team in a similar manner to the Baggies.

Since the 6-2 defeat at Newcastle, the Canaries have adopted a much more defensive approach and have conceded just four in their subsequent four league fixtures.

What will be concerning is that only two goals have been scored during this time and the fact that defender Russell Martin has more goals than any Norwich striker with three.

Arsenal have only lost once in the last 15 meetings between these two and will be confident of a victory which will see them move second, level on points with leaders Manchester City.

The Gunners could actually go top of the table, but they’d need to win by five-clear goals.

Last weekend’s defeat at West Brom was a shock but the North London have a nasty habit of picking up defeats at crucial moments in recent seasons.

Manager Arsene Wenger has highlighted the amount of injuries as a major reason for the slight slump in form with Tuesday’s 3-0 Champions League win against Dinamo Zagreb being Arsenal’s only victory in four November matches.

With seven players currently on the treatment table, it would be no surprise if Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez were to arrive in East Anglia wrapped in cotton wool.

Both players linked up superbly on Tuesday and the German in particular has dazzled in the top flight with 11 assists to his name already.

The last time these two met at Carrow Road, Arsenal won 2-0 and Norwich suffered relegation on the final day of the 2013/14 season.

Team News:

Alexander Tettey is set to miss this one with a groin injury but Russell Martin returns after missing last weekend’s match at Chelsea for personal reasons.

The sight of Aaron Ramsey taking to the field in midweek will have delighted Arsenal fans, while Alex Oxlade Chamberlain also returns to the squad following a hamstring injury.

Alexis Sanchez is expected to start despite suffering a tight hamstring in the win over Zagreb.

League Position: Norwich – 16th (12 pts); Arsenal – 4th (26 pts)
Last Meeting: Norwich 0-2 Arsenal (May, 2015)
Key Players: Norwich – Nathan Redmond; Arsenal – Mesut Ozil
Form: Norwich – LLLLWL; Arsenal – WWWWDL
Shoot Says: Norwich 0-2 Arsenal