Will Norwich pass Rovers?
While the English Premier League is still on break until Boxing Day, giving many players plenty of time to lick the physical and psychological wounds of the World Cup in Qatar, the second division kickers from the motherland of football have long been back in regular match action. The second regular match day after the short World Cup break will take place next weekend.
Among other things, there will be an eagerly awaited chasing duel between two ambitious teams who are desperate to close the gap on the direct promotion places in third and fourth place. The bookmakers are offering lower odds on a home win ahead of the clash between Norwich and Blackburn. The Canaries are favourites to win, despite losing three of their last four league games at Carrow Road.
The visitors from the north-west of the country are currently one point ahead of Dean Smith’s team in the standings, but Rovers have had problems with their performances away from home so far this season. Only four of their twelve victories this season have come at home. That is one of the reasons why a prediction on the host between Norwich and Blackburn seems to make more sense.
Norwich – Statistics & current form
Norwich City have become a real lift team in recent years. In the past four seasons, the Canaries have been promoted to the Premier League twice, but have also been relegated twice. Coach Dean Smith’s team is now aiming for a third promotion in the third Championship year in a row in the current 2022/23 season.
With fourth place after 22 match days, the Green and Yellows are on target, even though they are already six points behind the first direct promotion place. The gap to seventh place, which would not qualify for the play-offs, is currently three points, so that a lot of work still awaits the ambitious team from the university city in the east of England.
Norwich want to get back to their old home strength
Positive was the re-start after the World Cup break in the previous week. Despite a lacklustre performance, the Canaries defeated Swansea City 1-0 thanks to a goal from Teemu Pukki in the first minute of the game. It was the third win in the last five matches for the promotion hopefuls, who had previously gone six consecutive games without a treble.
Especially at home, the last few weeks and months have been a disaster. Only one win from the last six matches at Carrow Road is a surprisingly poor result, as the Canaries are normally a real home power in England’s second-tier league. However, the home record still reads positively with five wins, three draws and three defeats. The fact that only 12 goals have been conceded in 13 home games is also a good reason to go for the odds on a three-goal win for the hosts on Saturday night between Norwich and Blackburn.
This is supported not least by the aforementioned condition, which, with ten points from the past five Championship matches, can be described as very respectable. Apart from that, they are unbeaten in eight home games against Rovers and have even won six of them. In terms of personnel, there is also improvement in sight. In the previous week, Omobamidele and Idah made their comebacks from injury, adding depth to the squad. On the offensive side, hopes are pinned on former Bundesliga internationals Sargent and Pukki.
Predicted Norwich line-up:
Gunn; Aarons, Hanley, Gibson, McCallum; Sinani, Hayden, McLean; Sara; Sargent, Pukki
Last matches played by Norwich:
Championship
10/12/2022 – Swansea 0 – 1 Norwich
12/11/2022- Norwich 1 – 2 Middlesboro
05/11/2022 – Rotherham 1 – 2 Norwich
03/11/2022 – Norwich 0 – 0 Queens Park Rangers
29/10/2022 – Norwich 3 – 1 Stoke
Blackburn – Statistics & current form
2011/12 was the last time Blackburn Rovers were in the English top flight. The relegation at that time meant a long dry spell, which could not be ended until today. For one season, the three-time champions even found themselves in League One, the third-highest division. Now, for the fifth year in a row, they are trying their hand in the Championship. Bit by bit, Rovers are working their way up the table. After finishing eighth last year, the aim is to reach the play-offs at least once in 2022/23.
At the moment, coach Jon Dahl Tomasson’s men can be very satisfied with the way the season has gone. In third place, Rovers are the closest rivals to Burnley and Sheffield United. This promising starting position is now to be underpinned at Carrow Road, although between Norwich and Blackburn the prediction on the outcome of the game must necessarily take into account that the away record of the traditional club from the west of England is not a particularly good one.
Not much going on away from home yet
Only four of Rovers’ twelve wins this season have come away from home. On the other hand, they have suffered seven of their ten defeats at opposing stadiums. Particularly worrying is the fact that Blackburn failed to score a goal in any of the seven away defeats. A total of seven away goals is a disastrously poor figure, which is partly responsible for the fact that the promotion aspirants are only 19th in the away table.
It is also interesting to note that last year’s eighth-placed team is the only second-division team never to have played to a draw. Champagne or seltzer’ is the motto of the third-placed team, which has also lost three of its last four league games and suffered a crushing 1:4 home defeat against Preston North End in the previous week at the re-start after the World Cup break.
So, on balance, there are too many factors working against the visiting team, which is why in our eyes the odds on the home treble are far more exciting between Norwich and Blackburn. If you even want to bet on the Canaries pulling off a home win, including a clean sheet, given Rovers’ offensive lull, Bet365 offers top odds of 2.75.
Predicted Blackburn line-up:
Kaminski; Ayala, Hyam, Wharton; Travis, Morton, Buckley, Hedges; Szmodics; Dack, Brereton Diaz
Last games played by Blackburn:
Championship
10/12/2022 – Blackburn 1 – 4 Preston
Club Friendlies
03/12/2022 – Blackburn 2 – 0 Ajax Amsterdam
02/12/2022 – Blackburn 4 – 0 Hearts
Championship
13/11/2022 – Burnley 3 – 0 Blackburn
Carabao Cup
10/11/2022 – West Ham (9)2 – 2(10) Blackburn
Norwich – Blackburn Direct Comparison / H2H Record
42 Matches played between the two clubs in the Premier League or Championship. With 15 wins each and twelve draws, the direct comparison is completely balanced. At Carrow Road, however, Rovers have not been able to win much lately. Six defeats and two draws in the last eight away games at the Canaries.
Norwich – Blackburn betting tip
The absolute top match of matchday 23 in the English Championship takes place at Carrow Road next Saturday at 18:30. Before the clash between Norwich and Blackburn, the betting odds are in favour of the Canaries, who are currently one point behind Rovers in the standings, but are much stronger at home than their opponents away from home.
This is also borne out by the statistics. Blackburn have already lost seven times away from home. Coach Tomasson’s team also failed to score in any of the defeats away from home. Seven goals scored and 19th place in the away table are reasons why we see the Canaries as the favourites, and rightly so.
Although Smith’s eleven did not cover themselves with glory at home either, they made a better re-start in the previous week. The lift team won 1-0 against Swansea, while their upcoming opponents lost 1-4 at home to Preston North End.
That’s one of the reasons why we try to bet on a home win between Norwich and Blackburn. The top odds are 1.80 and we bet six units at Bet3000. An alternative betting option aims for a home win without conceding a goal. If you want to take less risk, you can combine the 1X with the Under 3.5, but you will only get quotes in the range of 1.61.
