The Canaries will be looking to continue an impressive run of form against a well-performing Hull side.
The first three-match week of the season is almost completed, with one more fixture to go for each of the 24 EFL Championship clubs, as Norwich City welcome East Riding of Yorkshire-based club Hull City to Carrow Road for the 12:30 BST kick-off.
The home side will be looking to notch a second home league win, with Johannes Hoff Thorup’s men recording two wins and one draw in their last three matches, including a 4-1 home victory against Watford, and a controversial 3-2 victory away to newly-promoted Derby County.
The visitors have recorded some impressive results, including a 4-1 victory at home to Cardiff City, and a 3-1 away victory against Queen’s Park Rangers. So far this season, the Tigers have struggled against what are considered the top six in the league, recording defeats to both Leeds United and Sheffield United.
With both sides recording impressive results in the midweek set of fixtures, with the hosts recording a 1-1 draw to Daniel Farke’s Leeds; Tim Walter’s Tigers playing dominant football against QPR, this fixture is set to be an exciting thriller, with a potential push into the play-off positions up for grabs to the victor.
Team news
Hoff Thorup will remain without former Aston Villa defender Ben Chrisene following a mild concussion suffered against Derby, with the defender following concussion protocol. English striker Ashley Barnes and Cuban winger Onel Hernandez will both be out for the long-term with injuries.
Summer signing Jose Cordoba may be unavailable for selection this weekend, with the defender replaced by Jack Stacey at half-time against Leeds due to a knock suffered in the first-half.
Walter will be without defender Charlie Hughes and midfield option Ryan Longman, with both players estimated to be out until late-October with injuries.
After resting defensive midfielder Oscar Zambrano and attacking-oriented midfielder Marvin Mehlem for the trip to QPR, both players are expected to make a return to the squad for the away trip to NR1.
Key players
Norwich City – Borja Sainz
The 23-year-old Spanish winger is in a golden patch of form under Hoff Thorup at the moment, with the player netting a hat-trick against Derby County and coming close to scoring a late winner against Leeds midweek.
Formerly of Turkish side Giresunspor, Sainz has made himself a key figure in NR1 since signing on a free transfer last season, with the winger scoring on his debut against Premier League side Fulham in the EFL Cup. Quick, versatile and incredibly technically gifted, Sainz has managed to insert himself as a constant thorn in the side of opposition.
With a near-full home crowd expected for the game, the motivation for Sainz will never have been better. With an average FotMob rating of 7.18, the Spaniard has scored six goals in eight appearances.
Hull City – Lewie Coyle
A key player for the Tigers since he signed in 2020, Coyle has proven to be a versatile, modern full-back, with the 28-year-old utilised on the left predominantly and can fill in on the opposite flank where required.
Scoring one goal and registering one assist so far this season, Coyle has proven himself as a strong defensive minded full-back and a capable goal-scoring threat, giving him the perfect qualities that may pose a threat to Norwich’s defence, with the Canaries struggling in their defensive third so far this season.
With an average FotMob rating of 7.71, Coyle ranks in the top 25% of full-backs in shot attempts, the top 40% for goals, and the top 4% for touches. Although Carrow Road can be a notoriously challenging ground for Hull, Coyle is a player likely to be crucial for Hull to help gain those crucial three points.
Match details
Where is the game being played?
The game will be played at Carrow Road, home of the Canaries.
What time is kick-off?
The match will kick-off at 12:30pm BST on Saturday, October 5.
Will the game be televised?
The game will be shown live on Sky Sports, via the new Sky Sports+ deal, seeing even more live football shown than ever before. The game can be followed internationally by fans via CanariesTV or right here on VAVEL.com. Highlights will be shown on ITV in the evening round-up show, and official club channels will post the highlights shortly after full-time.