An already-relegated Norwich City will welcome top-four hopefuls Tottenham Hotspur for their last match of the Premier League season.
Norwich City will welcome Tottenham Hotspur with nothing to lose as they have already been relegated to the Championship for next season. The Canaries are bottom-placed on the Premier League table with just 22 points in 37 matches.
They will have the backing of Arsenal fans, who are hoping for a miracle from Norwich, as a defeat for Tottenham could help the Gunners finish inside the top four. For a side who has won just five matches all season, getting the better of an in-form Tottenham side could be a big ask.
Norwich’s recent form doesn’t paint a nice picture for their and Arsenal fans: just one win in their last ten league matches and winless in their last six. Dean Smith thus has a lot to do to ensure his side finish the season on a high. Their last league outing ended in a 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
With a top-four spot on the line, Tottenham Hotspur will travel to Carrow Road for their last match of the 2021/22 Premier League season. Spurs are the favourites to finish fourth but need a better or a similar result as Arsenal against Everton to qualify for the next season’s Champions League.
Antonio Conte’s side are currently fourth in the league table with 68 points, two points ahead of arch-rivals Arsenal. With the Gunners welcoming Everton on the final matchday, Spurs need a win or a draw to retain their position on the table. The goal difference isn’t expected to come into play with the Lilywhites enjoying a +24 GD as compared to Arsenal’s +9.
Spurs have been unbeaten in their last five league matches, which includes a 3-0 win over Arsenal, and have lost just once in their last ten matches in the English top-flight. Their fine form puts them in good stead going into the crunch encounter against Norwich.
Team News & Tactics
Norwich City
? Training ahead of the final game of the season. OTBC!#NCFC | #NORTOT pic.twitter.com/slHbM4xgW9
— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) May 21, 2022
Norwich City aren’t just struggling for form but also have a host of players missing out due to respective injuries. Dean Smith confirmed that both Ben Gibson and Billy Gilmour are doubtful for the Tottenham clash but stopped short of ruling them out of the encounter.
They do have multiple other absentees with Adam Idah, Andrew Omobamidele, Christoph Zimmerman, Kenny McLean and Josh Sargent all set to miss due to respective injury issues. Smith is expected to continue with a 3-4-2-1 with Angus Gunn taking his spot between the sticks. Sam Byram, Grant Hanley and Ben Gibson, if fit, will form the back three.
Max Aarons and Dimitrios Giannoulis are expected to take up the two wing-back spots. Lukas Rupp is expected to return to the starting XI alongside Jacob Sorensen in a double pivot. Kieran Dowell and Lees-Melou will be the two attacking midfielders behind Teemu Pukki, who will lead the line.
The Norwich manager might have to revert to a back four if Gibson isn’t deemed fit for the encounter. In that case, Milot Rashica is expected to slot into the XI in the right-wing with Pierre Lees-Melou dropping back in a midfield three.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Gunn; Byram, Hanley, Gibson; Aarons, Rupp, Sorensen, Giannoulis; Lees-Melou, Dowell; Pukki
Tottenham Hotspur
Antonio Conte has no fresh injury issues and is expected to go in with the same squad that faced Burnley last time out. He will continue employing a 3-4-2-1 that has given him incredible results since returning to the Premier League last year.
Spurs will be without the services of Sergio Reguilon, Cristian Romero, Matt Doherty, Japhet Tanganga and Oliver Skipp, same as the last match. Thus, there is very little possibility of wholesale changes in the playing XI.
? “The availability of the players is the same as the last game against Burnley”
Antonio Conte spoke to the press ahead of Sunday's game against Norwich ⤵️
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 20, 2022
Captain Hugo Lloris will continue manning the goal with a back three of Davinson Sanchez, Eric Dier and Ben Davies in front of the Frenchman. Emerson Royal and Ryan Sessegnon will take up either wing-back spots with Pierre-Emile Hojberg and Rodrigo Bentancur forming a two-man midfield.
Dejan Kulusevski and Son Heung-min will provide width to their attack with Harry Kane as the lone striker upfront.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Lloris; Sanchez, Dier, Davies; Emerson, Hojbjerg, Bentancur, Sessegnon; Kulusevski, Son; Kane
Key Stats
- Tottenham and Norwich have faced off 75 times since 1906, with Spurs emerging winners on 33 occasions, and the Canaries on 24. 18 matches have finished in draws.
- Spurs defeated Norwich 3-0 in their first match of the Premier League season with goals from Sanchez, Lucas and Son.
- Tottenham’s last visit to Carrow Road, in the 2019/20 season, finished in a 2-2 draw. A repeat would see Spurs qualify for the next season’s Champions League.
- Norwich’s last win over Tottenham came in the 2013/14 season, a 1-0 victory at Carrow Road.
- Spurs have scored at least one goal in each of their last six encounters against Norwich City across competitions.
Player to Watch
Son Heung-min
A special thank you to all of you Spurs supporters for this season ?The atmospheres have been amazing because of you. It is an honour for me to be voted the Supporters Club, One Hotspur and Junior One Hotspur player of the season. We will fight until the final whistle next week! pic.twitter.com/EGisbPKyzo
— Son Heung-min (@Sonny7) May 15, 2022
Tottenham forward Son Heung-min has scored 21 goals this season, which puts him second on the list of this term’s Premier League top scorers. He is just a goal behind top-scorer Liverpool’s Moha med Salah and thus has a realistic opportunity to leave the Egyptian behind in the Golden Boot race. Given his recent run of form and Norwich’s woeful defence, expect Son to add to his tally on Sunday.
Prediction
Norwich City 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Norwich have the worst defence of the Premier League this season as they have conceded 79 goals. Spurs, on the other hand, have the fourth-best attack with 64 goals scored. Antonio Conte’s men are thus expected to come out as victors from the encounter to secure a top-four spot.
