Preview & Prediction: Norwich vs Bournemouth

Two newly-promoted sides who have had similar starts to the season meet on Saturday for the first ever time in the top flight.

Norwich are searching for their first home win of the season having lost to Crystal Palace and drawn with Stoke at Carrow Road to date, and could hand debuts to loanees Matt Jarvis and Dieumerci Mbokani, the Congolose international striker who has joined on a temporary basis from Dynamo Kiev.

The hosts will be without Steven Whittaker – who serves a suspension having been sent off at Southampton a fortnight ago – and Youssouf Mulumbu, whilst Lewis Grabban sits out as he needs to build up match fitness having refused to play after being linked with a move back to the Cherries recently.

The visitors made a slow start with consecutive defeats but have since picked up four points from two matches, largely thanks to Callum Wilson finding his goalscoring form. The striker will be looking for his fifth goal of the season at Carrow Road this weekend.

The Cherries have had a nightmare fortnight on the injury front; record signings Tyrone Mings and Max Gradel will both miss the majority of the season after picking up serious knocks against Leicester last time out. In more positive news, influential midfielder Harry Arter has returned to training, but the Republic of Ireland international is not match-fit so will not feature in East Anglia.

Deadline Day signings Glenn Murray and Joe Bennett could make their debuts for Eddie Howe’s side on Saturday, with Bennett set to fill in at left-back in the absence of Mings and Charlie Daniels.

League Position: Norwich – 14^th (4 pts); Bournemouth – 11^th (4 pts)
Last Meeting: Bournemouth 1-2 Norwich – January 10, 2015
Key Men: Norwich – Nathan Redmond; Bournemouth – Callum Wilson
Form: Norwich – LWDL; Bournemouth – LLWD

Shoot Says: Norwich 1-1 Bournemouth