Norwich City vs Southampton Prediction: Saints looking for fifth win in row

Norwich City will welcome Southampton at Carrow Road in Game Week 26 of the English Championship. Saints will look for fifth win in a row and put pressure on the Canaries. Who will come out on top after 90 minutes?

Norwich will be glad to be back at their home ground on Monday, following two consecutive defeats away to West Bromwich Albion and Millwall. David Wagner's team has dropped to 13th place after a disappointing festive period, but they are still within five points of sixth-placed Hull City and have the ability to go on a winning streak at any time due to the quality of their squad. Norwich has won seven out of twelve home matches in the Championship this season, but they will be facing a tough challenge from Southampton, who have the third-best away record in the league with an impressive 22 points on the road. Despite finishing 13th last season, Norwich has high hopes of pushing for a playoff spot this year. Although Norwich and Southampton had an exciting 4-4 draw earlier in the season, Norwich has only managed to beat Southampton once in their last seven encounters.

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Southampton will approach this match after defeating Plymouth 2-1 on Friday, with goals from Carlos Alcaraz and Che Adams at St Mary's Stadium. The team has achieved four consecutive wins against Blackburn Rovers, Queens Park Rangers, Swansea City, and Plymouth, scoring 11 goals and not conceding any. This outstanding performance has placed them in third position in the Championship table. Southampton's current record this season includes 15 wins, six draws, and four losses in 25 league matches, resulting in a total of 51 points. They are only three points behind Ipswich Town, who are in second place. Despite being relegated from the Premier League last season, Southampton is now considered a strong contender for promotion from the Championship in the 2023-24 season. In their upcoming match against Walsall in the FA Cup, Southampton aims to secure their fifth consecutive league win. The last meeting between these two teams took place at Carrow Road during the 2021-22 Premier League season, ending in a 2-1 victory for Norwich.

Bazunu; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Manning; Smallbone, Charles, Alcaraz; A Armstrong, Adams, Edozie

We anticipate an enthralling match with all the elements for an exciting contest. Southampton aims to secure their fifth consecutive win in the Championship, while Norwich has displayed strength at home throughout the season. Consequently, it is challenging to distinguish between these two teams. Take a double chance on the home side.