Meet the opposition | Norwich City
As Swansea City get set to face Norwich City at Carrow Road, we take a closer look at the Canaries.
What's their story?
Norwich are back in the Championship this season following another solitary campaign in the Premier League.
With six separate stints in the Premier League since its inception in the 1992-93 season, the club achieved its highest-ever position in the same year with a third-place finish.
Falling to the third tier in 2009 for the first time in nearly 50 years, the Canaries clinched successive promotions under Paul Lambert, narrowly edging the Swans in the hunt for automatic promotion in 2010-11.
Relegation in 2015 was followed by the club bouncing straight back up at the first time of asking thanks to play-off success under manager Alex Neil, but they dropped back into the second tier for a record-equalling fourth time in 2016, before continuing to rise and fall over the last four seasons.
Their most notable honours are two League Cup victories in 1962 and 1985, whilst they became the first English club to beat Bayern Munich at the Olympic Stadium during their 1993-94 UEFA Cup campaign, with Wales international Jeremy Goss among the goalscorers in that famous success.
How's their form?
Inconsistent. At a crucial time of the season Norwich are on a run of one win from their last eight games.
That has seen them fall to 10th in the Championship table, although it tells you everything you need to know about the way 2022-23 has unfolded that they are just two points off the play-off places with three games to play.
They have not won at home in nearly two months, last winning at Carrow Road against Cardiff on February 25.
Who's the gaffer?
David Wagner. The German has been in charge at Carrow Road since succeeding Dean Smith in January.
The Frankfurt-born coach had a lengthy playing career as a bustling, skilful striker and won eight caps for the United States after qualifying to represent them through his ancestry.
After starting his senior career with Eintracht Frankfurt, he went on to represent Mainz, Schalke, FC Gutersloh, Waldorf Mannheim, Darmstadt 98, TSG Weinheim and Germania Pfungstadt. He won the 1997 Uefa Cup during his time with Schalke.
His coaching career started at Borussia Dortmund, where he coached the second team while his former Mainz team-mate Jurgen Klopp was in charge of the first team.
In 2015 he was named Huddersfield boss and he would end up leading them to the Premier League in 2017 as they beat Reading on penalties in the Championship play-off final.
He helped the Terriers retain top-flight status the following campaign, but left in 2019 when they were on their way to relegation back to the second tier.
Short stints with Schalke and Swiss side Young Boys followed, before his arrival in East Anglia.
Who's the captain?
Grant Hanley. The Scotland international has had his injury problems since joining Norwich in 2017, and he is currently facing a long spell on the sidelines with an Achilles problem.
In his absence young defender Andrew Omobamidele has had the armband, most recently in the midweek draw at QPR.
The Irishman is a product of the Canaries academy, and has enjoyed a breakthrough season at senior level, making 32 of his 48 first-team appearances this term.
Who are the key men?
Josh Sargent tops the goalscoring charts for Norwich with 12 goals to his name this season, whilst also contributing two assists.
The striker had an excellent start to the campaign but has found goals harder to come by of late, the USA international scoring just three goals since the World Cup break.
Sargent started his development career in his homeland, before joining German club Werder Bremen.
He has dovetailed well with Teemu Pukki. The Finland striker has been a mainstay at Carrow Road since arriving from Brondby in the summer of 2018 but it has already been confirmed he will depart when his contract expires this summer.
The 32-year-old has scored 88 goals in 208 appearances and he has been as effective as ever this season with 10 goals and eight assists to his name.
Despite his relatively tender years, exciting full-back Max Aarons has already passed 198 league appearances for Norwich since coming through the academy ranks at Carrow Road.
Initially on the books at Luton, Aarons made the switch to East Anglia aged 16 and has not looked back.
He made his debut at the start of the 2018-19 season and was a stand-out performer as the Canaries secured promotion to the Premier League.
Aarons was named EFL Young Player of the Year for that campaign, an award he would win again in 2021, and his name was mentioned in despatches when it came to young players in contention for England call-ups.
He has been a regular for Norwich over the last four-and-a-half years and his energy and ability to provide support and composure in the final third is a real asset for the Canaries.