Preview | Norwich City v Swansea City
Swansea City will be hoping for their first win at Carrow Road since 2008 when they travel to face Norwich City this afternoon (3pm kick-off).
The Swans are looking to take their unbeaten run to seven games, and extend their winning run to four with a victory against the play-off chasing Canaries.
Norwich, meanwhile, sit 10th after picking up six points in six games, but are just two points outside the play-offs and will hope a win this afternoon will put them in the mix going into the final two matches.
Defeat at home would see the Swans go level on points with them. It all makes for an exciting contest this afternoon at Carrow Road.
Team news
Russell Martin admitted after another three-game week, he may look to rotate things again within the squad.
A few players carrying knocks needed to be monitored during the long trip from south Wales to Norfolk.
Joe Allen will be absent through suspension after his red card in midweek.
Pre-match views
Russell Martin: “It is the first time I have been back to a place where I had such a brilliant time. I spent a huge part of my life there.
“I want us to go there and play well. It is a heck of a long way for the Jack Army to travel as we are finding making our own way there.
“So, we are conscious of that, and the away support we have at this football club is incredible.
“I really want to win for them, I really want to maintain momentum.”
David Wagner: “Swansea is a team in great form at the minute, as everybody knows when you see their recent results.
“But I've seen the strangest things in football.
"At the minute not a lot of things speak for us [to reach the play-offs], but that doesn't mean that it's not possible. We have a chance, and as long as we have a chance we will try it.
"We should have done better in ball possession [against QPR], and this is exactly what we have to ask ourselves to do, and keep the workload and the fighting spirit as high as it is."
Remember the last time?
Marco Stiepermann struck a late winner for Norwich City on the Swans last visit to Carrow Road in November 2020.
The German midfielder found the net with just six minutes to go, scoring via the inside of the post, to settle an even contest between two of the division's form sides.
A victory would have sent the Swans top of the table ahead of the international break, and they came agonisingly close to an opener with Andre Ayew hitting the post in the first half, while Jamal Lowe forced three excellent saves from Norwich keeper Tim Krul.
The visitors also had strong penalty appeals dismissed when Jake Bidwell was felled in the box in the second half.
Two superb blocks at the other end by Connor Roberts looked to have the Swans on course for another clean sheet, but it was not to be.
Prime numbers
9.9 – Joel Piroe’s performance against Preston North End in midweek earned him a 9.9 rating on WhoScored.com. His two goals took his league tally to 18 for the season, putting him fourth in the golden boot race behind Luton’s Carlton Morris (19), Coventry’s Viktor Gyokeres (20), and Middlesbrough’s Chuba Akpom (28).
15 – It has been 15 years since the Swans last won at Carrow Road. Jason Scotland, Darren Pratley and Ferrie Bodde were on the scoresheet in a 3-2 win that day.
16 – The Swans have picked up 16 points of the last 18 available. Of the 92 professional clubs, only Manchester City have managed more in that time.