Norwich City vs Preston North End. Sky Bet Championship.
Carrow RoadAttendance24,936.
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Wednesday 22 August 2018 20:46, UK
Norwich should have Ivo Pinto available to face Preston after the defender missed Saturday's defeat at Sheffield United.
The right-back was ill for the last-gasp 2-1 loss at Bramall Lane and while the Canaries will make a late decision on his fitness he is expected to be fine.
Kenny McLean remains out with knee ligament damage and is not expected to return until after the international break. Matt Jarvis (ankle and knee) and Carlton Morris (knee) are long-term absentees for the Canaries.
Preston striker Paul Gallagher starts his three-match ban after being handed a retrospective suspension. The forward accepted a Football Association charge of violent conduct after elbowing Stoke's Joe Allen in Saturday's 2-2 draw.
It went unpunished by referee Andrew Madley but the FA have acted and Gallager will miss games against the Canaries, Derby and Leeds. North End will also be without Calum Woods at Carrow Road with the defender struggling with a hamstring injury.
Norwich have won none of their last four home league meetings with Preston (D3 L1), last beating them at Carrow Road in February 2008 thanks to a 90th minute winner from Darel Russell.
The side playing at home between Norwich and Preston hasn't won any of the last six league meetings of this fixture (D3 L3).
Norwich have lost each of their last two games in the Championship, while they haven't lost three in a row in the competition since November 2017.
Preston have lost just one of their previous eight games in the Championship (W5 D2), although they haven't won since the opening day of the season (1-0 v QPR).
Norwich's first three games of the current Championship season have seen a total of 14 goals scored, at an average of 4.7 per game.
All three of Preston's league goals so far this season have come via set pieces (two from free-kicks and one from the penalty spot).
There's a nice little undercurrent of Alex Neil going back to his former stomping ground in this one. I think Preston looked pretty good on Saturday against Stoke and they would've been disappointed to have allowed Peter Crouch to head his second-half equaliser. Norwich were punished by Sheffield United for failing to put away numerous chances at Bramall Lane but I think they may learn from their mistakes.
Prutton predicts: 2-1 (17/2 with Sky Bet)
