Norwich City and Leicester City will face off against each other in a tie that could have ramifications in the race for promotion.
Norwich City and Leicester City will face off in a clash that is the standout matchup in the middle EFL Championship schedule.
The Foxes are one point off the top and have lost just once all season. However, they are only two points ahead of Norwich City, who can overtake them should they secure all three points on the night.
It is still early days, but the momentum that mental edge that can be gained by getting one over a direct rival cannot be understated. The Foxes harbour dreams of an immediate return to the top flight and winning at Carrow Road on Wednesday will be a major step in that direction.
Both teams are in good form and enjoyed wins at the weekend. Norwich secured a 1-0 win at home to Stoke City while Leicester romped home to a comfortable 4-1 victory against Southampton.
The last meeting between Norwich and Leicester at Carrow Road came in August 2021 in the Premier League, where the Foxes came out 2-1 on top. Wednesday’s game is also likely to be equally hard-fought. Norwich have the best attack in the league this season and it will put Leicester’s defence on the edge.
The game also is a battle between two managers who earned their stripes working under two long-term rivals. Wagner worked under Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp in Germany while his Leicester counterpart, Enzo Maresca earned his name working under Pep Guardiola. It should be a fascinating contest between two teams with differing visions of playing football. The Hard Tackle looks at how both sides could line up on Sunday and what tactics they might employ.
Team News & Tactics
Norwich City
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Read our match preview ahead of Leicester City’s visit to Carrow Road tomorrow evening 👇
— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) September 19, 2023
Apart from Preston North End, Norwich is the only side in the Championship with a hundred per cent home record. The Canaries appear formidable and could be set to return to the Premier League after a two-year hiatus.
They are on the right track so far but cannot afford to drop off. The Championship does not forgive mistakes easily and the Canaries will want to put points on the table as soon as possible. Marcelino Nunez is ruled out for the game alongside Josh Sargent, Jacob Sorensen, Grant Hanley and Borja Sainz. Dimitris Giannoulis is also injured but is expected to recover in time for the game.
A 4-2-3-1 formation appears to be the way forward, with Angus Gunn in goal. He will be protected by the quartet of Jack Stacey, Shane Duffy, Ben Gibson and Dimitris Giannoulis.
Gabriel Sara and Kenny McLean will form the midfield anchor with the trio of Christian Fassnacht, Ashley Barnes and Jonathan Rowe attempting to make an impression in attack. Adam Idah is expected to start upfront as the top most attacker.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Gunn; Stacey, Duffy, Gibson, Giannoulis; Sara, McLean; Fassnacht, Barnes, Rowe; Idah
Leicester City
The Foxes are the best-placed of the recently relegated teams to return to the Premier League and have won all but one of their games in the Championship this season. Just a point off the top of the table, Enzo Maresca will be keen for his players to keep their momentum going.
Norwich are expected to be roundabouts around the qualification spots this season and are thus a direct rival to Leicester. A win on the night could prove decisive come the business end of the season.
Dennis Praet and Thomas Cannon are out injured but Leicester have an otherwise fully-fit squad to choose from. Maresca had seen his side enjoy an extra day of rest and could opt to go in with an unchanged side that thrashed Southampton away from home.
The 4-3-3 formation has offered the Foxes great flexibility and will once again be called upon for the game. Mads Hermansen should start in between the sticks behind the back four of Ricardo Pereira, Callum Doyle, Jannik Vestergaard and James Justin.
Harry Winks should start in centre-midfield where he is expected to be flanked by the duo of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Wilfred Ndidi. Jamie Vardy has a sensational record against Norwich and also scored at the weekend against Southampton. He should once again lead the line with Stephy Mavididi and Kasey McAteer in support.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Hermansen; Justin, Vestergaard, Doyle, Pereira; Ndidi, Winks, Dewsbury-Hall; McAteer, Vardy, Mavididi
Key Stats
- Norwich City have lost four of their last six meetings against Leicester City.
- This is the first time that both Norwich and Leicester are facing off against each other in a league that isn’t the top flight since 2020/11.
- Norwich City manager David Wagner is winless against Leicester City in the last three times that he has faced them.
- Leicester City have won just one of their last six midweek games in the league, all the way back in October 2022 against Leeds United.
- Leicester City veteran Jamie Vardy averages more than a goal a game against Norwich City in the football league.
Player to Watch
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
With James Maddison and Harvey Barnes both gone, Dewsbury-Hall has stepped up to the plate and delivered. A solid dribbler who will get forward from the midfield, he has thrived in midfield thanks to Harry Winks holding the fort in the centre.
The 24-year-old will once again be tasked with providing the creative spark in midfield and feeding Jamie Vardy goalscoring opportunities. He is a pivotal player for the Foxes and will play a key role if they eventually secure qualification back to the top flight.
Prediction
Norwich City 1-1 Leicester City
Both teams are more or less evenly matched and also are in good form going into the game. With a loss likely to see them drop behind in the race for a top-two finish, one can expect a cagey affair where a share of the spoils could be in order.
