Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Championship match.
Despite being only four points off the play-off zone, Norwich City's chances of breaking into the top six appear slim— with five clubs ahead of them also consistently picking up points. Meanwhile, Stoke City are battling to retain their Championship status, maintaining a six-point cushion above the drop zone, but they cannot afford to relax.
Norwich City
Norwich City have adopted a more pragmatic approach lately. In the autumn, they were the Championship’s highest-scoring side, but their attacking output has declined. After averaging 1.7 goals per game in the first half of the season, that figure has dropped to just 1.55. Each of their last four matches has seen under 2.5 goals, and they've only managed one win in that run.
Stoke City
Stoke City have pulled slightly clear of the relegation battle after a crucial 3:1 win over fellow strugglers Swansea City in the previous round. The Welsh side had been struggling for victories, and Stoke City capitalised. However, their goal output tends to suffer away from home— only once in their last six away games have they scored more than once, and four of those matches ended with under 2.5 goals in total.
Norwich City vs Stoke City Prediction
We won’t insist that Norwich City will necessarily take points here— after all, they recently lost at Carrow Road to Preston North End (0:1). However, a low-scoring game seems the logical bet.
