Norwich City are making a real push for the playoffs. Not inside yet, but they're only outside on goal difference, and they've got a home game this weekend to further their push for the top six. Cardiff City are the visitors, a team on a bad run of form, one that has seen them slip away into the bottom half of the Championship table.
Norwich Form GuideSitting in 7th with 48 points, Norwich are only not in 6th due to goal difference, they've been excellent for most of the season, and come here on the back of a really good run where they've certainly enhanced their chances of promotion. It's tight at the top, but the top six is within reach, and they will know the importance of winning home games.
Norwich are three unbeaten, with two wins at home in that period, both against fellow playoff sides, and a draw away from home in the middle. They're chasing Coventry, and that was the team they beat at the start of this run, winning 2-1 at the beginning of the month. A 2-2 draw at QPR followed last weekend before a 4-2 home win over Watford in midweek.
Cardiff Form GuideA really good start put Cardiff in the mix earlier on this season, but what we've seen from them recently has been a correction, putting them down in the kind of place I imagined they would sit. It's been poor in recent weeks, and they're currently in no mans land, clear of relegation, and too far off the playoffs.
In their last five games, they've been beaten four times and recorded one win. That success was a narrow 1-0 win away at Watford. But since then they've lost 2-0 at home to Preston and away at West Brom, and before the win, lost 3-1 at Plymouth and 3-0 at home to Leeds.
Match PredictionI am siding with Norwich to win this one. Cardiff are dropping off, and have shown poor form recently, while Norwich are right in the playoff mix, and playing some good football, so I'll take the home side to get all three points.
