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Norwich City -v- Middlesbrough: Preview

Norwich City look to the Middlesbrough match to put to rights the wrongs committed on Tuesday as they tasted another home defeat by a team that is struggling in the Championship, Crystal Palace.

Team-wise, Elliot Ward is back in contention after serving out the first suspension in his career for accumulating five yellow cards.

Adam Drury remains sidelined, not yet recovered from his calf injury to take his place at left back, so Stepehn Smith will probably fillin, along with an unchanged side. Thee is a chance, though, that Chris Martin may get the nod ahead of Simeon Jackson as Paul Lambert weighs up the ways to get back on form.

Meanwhile, Middlesbrough caretaker manager, Steve Agnew, will assess Argentinian midfielder Julio Arca, while Scot, Barry Robson completes a three match ban. A brighter note is that Kevin Thompson will travel with the squad and could get the nod.

Who will forget the last time that Middlesbrough came to Carrow Road. It was 2005 and City were in the Premiership after almost a decade' absence. Frustratingly, it was another game that seemed to have given the slip as the scoreline read 2-4 with minutes remaining. So late that the usual crowds were already gone, followed by those that thought City could do no more.

Goals in the 89 and 90 minutes from City legend, Darren Huckerby gave the Norwich supporters who had not left the greatest feeling imaginable. The game, the goals right at the end and the final score was the talking point on every Sky Sports pundits lips throughout that night.

With luck the outcome tomorrow will be less of a nail-biter, and more of a comfortable win for City. Another fine record is that seldom has defeat followed defeat since Lambert took over.

The cynic will point out, however, that Leicester followed Hull in similar circumstances. Hull with a rare away win on the Tuesday, and last year's highflyers but struggling theis term, the Filberts took it to the line on the Saturday. Perhaps seeking out coincidences is injurious to a City supporter's health.

Don't forget to enter the score predictions. I haven't had one right yet, but I still lead the way.

 

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