It’s as you were for Norwich. Daniel Farke names the same side that earned a point at Newcastle two weeks ago.
Liverpool make one change to the side that beat Southampton 4-0 on the first day of the month. Naby Keita comes in for Fabinho, who drops to the bench. Sadio Mane is back from injury, and named as a sub.
The teams
Norwich City: Krul, Aarons, Zimmermann, Hanley, Byram, Tettey, McLean, Rupp, Duda, Cantwell, Pukki.
Subs: Godfrey, Vrancic, Hernandez, Lewis, Emi, Drmic, Fahrmann.
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson, Keita, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Salah, Firmino, Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Subs: Fabinho, Lovren, Milner, Mane, Adrian, Lallana, Origi.
Referee: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire).
Preamble
Norwich City need some points, and they need them damn fast. Having only won one of their last dozen matches, they’re seven points and eight goals adrift of safety. Three points this evening aren’t a must, not yet, but how they would help. One, never mind three, might be so precious come the end of the season.
A small problem tonight: they’re facing Liverpool, who have won 34 of their last 35 matches in this division. An even bigger problem: that’s not the most nerve-shredding stat Norwich have to wrestle with! Liverpool have won seven of their last eight games against Norwich, rattling in 33 goals along the way. In recent years, the Canaries have been Liverpool’s bunnies.
But this is football, and so there’s always hope. For a start, Liverpool can often look a little rusty coming off the back of a break. On the opening day of this season, Norwich gave a better account of themselves at Anfield than a 4-1 result suggests. And early on in Jurgen Klopp’s reign, City pushed the Reds all the way in a psychedelic mindbender that ended 4-5. That game, in January 2016, was the last time these teams met at Carrow Road. Klopp, who had his glasses memorably clipped off his startled face during the melee that ensued after Adam Lallana’s late, late winner, won’t forget that one in a hurry.
Norwich will also point to their home record this season. They’ve drawn with Arsenal and Spurs, gave Chelsea a fright, and stunned the champions Manchester City on a Saturday evening back in September. It’ll surely count as a huge shock if they get something out of this match tonight … and yet on the other hand, it wouldn’t be such a big surprise at all. Can the bottom club stun the leaders? Or will Liverpool stretch their lead at the top to a wholly preposterous 25 points? It should be fun finding out the answer. It’s on!
Kick off: 5.30pm.
