Newcastle boss Eddie Howe will be without suspended duo Jamaal Lascelles and Matt Ritchie; follow Newcastle vs Norwich in our dedicated live match blog; watch free match highlights on Sky Sports digital platforms and YouTube channel after full-time.
Tuesday 30 November 2021 18:53, UK
Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Newcastle vs Norwich in the Premier League on Tuesday; kick-off 7.30pm.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe will be without suspended duo Jamaal Lascelles and Matt Ritchie for Norwich's Premier League visit to St James' Park.
Skipper Lascelles and wing-back Ritchie both picked up fifth yellow cards of the season in Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Arsenal and must sit out as a result.
Striker Dwight Gayle, who missed the trip to the Emirates Stadium with a hamstring problem, could return, leaving only defender Paul Dummett (calf) on the sidelines.
Norwich will be without defensive midfielder Mathias Normann, who was forced off against Wolves on Saturday with a pelvis problem and is set to see a specialist over the long-standing issue.
Lukas Rupp came on to replace Normann, so could start, while Frenchman Pierre Lees-Melou is also pressing for a recall.
Turkish defender Ozan Kabak has been in full first-team training again following illness, while Christoph Zimmermann (ankle) continues his recovery and full-back Sam Byram (hamstring) is expected to feature for the under-23s on Monday night.
Follow Newcastle vs Norwich in our dedicated live match blog. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel after full-time.
While Norwich, Aston Villa and to a certain extent Manchester United have been getting their manager bounce, Newcastle remain flat as a pancake.
I was disappointed with their approach at Arsenal, especially after an encouraging start in terms of attacking intent against Brentford. On Saturday, it was more Steve Bruce than Eddie Howe. They remain winless.
But the shackles simply have to come off here. Newcastle's strengths are in the final third and with the home fans on board with Howe, full-throttle football in a rocking atmosphere must be on the cards. But Norwich arrive with renewed energy and hope under Smith, who is notoriously a manager that also likes to play front-foot football. He will also be setting Norwich's stall out to take maximum points.
The predicted explosive encounter has drawn me into the match shots line, which looks too low when considering the likelihood of both teams putting two ropey defences under pressure. Howe has faced Smith twice as a manager in the Premier League in the 19/20 season and those two matches averaged a total of 33 shots per 90 minutes - both games were won 2-1 by Howe's Bournemouth.
I can see the game breezing past 26 shots or more. We can get 5/4 with Sky Bet.
SCORE PREDICTION: 2-2
BETTING ANGLE: Over 26 or more shots in the match (5/4 with Sky Bet)
On the latest Essential Football Podcast Alice Piper is joined by Sky Sports football writers Gerard Brand and Ben Grounds to look back on another big weekend at both ends of the Premier League table after Chelsea's lead slipped following a 1-1 draw with Man Utd at Stamford Bridge.
PART 1 | Was Michael Carrick right to opt against starting Cristiano Ronaldo - and should United have signed him at all? United's interim-to-the-interim manager's tactics are assessed ahead of Ralph Rangnick's arrival, questions raised over Chelsea's attacking prowess, while will Arsenal fancy facing this United side next given their own form?
PART 2 | Where does another bad result at Brentford leave Everton boss Rafa Benitez ahead of the Merseyside derby in midweek? Do Liverpool have anything to fear? And the curious case of Marcelo Bielsa and Kalvin Phillips...
PART 3 | Newcastle show Eddie Howe the scale of the task ahead of him with a six-pointer against Norwich next up, Aston Villa grind their way to victory again - and with two points separating the top three, who's going to win the Premier League?
