Norwich vs Bournemouth preview
Two promising young managers will hope to outwit each other at Carrow Road when Norwich City entertain Bournemouth on Saturday.
Both managers are coping fairly well in their maiden campaigns in the Premier League, with each guiding their teams to four points so far. Eddie Howe, aged 37, has managed to retain the entertaining football that helped the Cherries win the Championship last season. He will be looking to extend Bournemouth’s unbeaten run to four games after guiding his charges to victories over West Ham and Hartlepool, before sharing the spoils with Leicester just before the international break.
That draw with the Foxes came at a huge cost for Howe because his record signing, Tyrone Mings, suffered a serious knee injury just six minutes into his Bournemouth debut. Mings will now miss a huge chunk of the season.
Another expensive signing, Max Gradel, raptured his cruciate knee ligaments in the same game and will miss at least the entire first-half of the season. Gradel’s injury is a massive blow to Bournemouth because the winger’s dribbling abilities added an extra dimension to the Cherries’ attacks.
Alex Neil is also dealing with serious challenges as he attempts to keep the Canaries in the Premier League beyond this season. He had to suspend Lewis Grabban after the player overplayed his hand in attempts to force a move to Bournemouth. The striker is now back in training but is unlikely to feature because he will lack fitness after missing training during the ban.
Neil will hope to see a reaction from his side after their 3-0 drubbing at Southampton. Norwich shot themselves in the foot in that encounter as Steven Whittaker got sent-off just after the hour-mark. They had a slim chance of claiming a victory with 11 men, so Whittaker’s red card wiped any hopes of the Canaries getting anything from that trip to the South Coast.
Norwich City team news
- Whittaker is suspended.
- Youssouf Mulumbu is unlikely to feature because of a fractured foot.
Bournemouth team news
- Harry Arter missed pre-season and the start of the campaign because of a groin injury but he is nearing a return.
- Charlie Daniels was one of the injury casualties against Leicester City and could miss this trip to Carrow Road because of a hamstring injury.
- Joshua King is expected to shake off a hamstring problem in time to make the traveling squad.
- Gradel (knee) and Mings (knee) will be out long-term.
Norwich vs Bournemouth prediction
Andre Wisdom could make his first start for Norwich in the Premier League in place of the suspended Whittaker at right-back. Robbie Brady should keep his place on the other flank, where he will bomb forward and supply quality service to the strikers.
The Canaries could start in a 4-4-1-1 formation, with Graham Dorrans frequently supporting play through the middle from central midfield, while the combative Alexander Tettey sits in front of the defenders.
Wes Hoolahan is likely to be the creative force, roaming just behind Cameron Jerome, while Nathan Redmond and Jonny Howson drift inside from the flanks to support the forwards.
Howe will probably keep his preferred 4-4-2 formation despite missing a couple of key players through injury. Eunan O’Kane and Andrew Surman may be the central midfielders, building attacks through midfield before spreading the ball wide for the wingers to create chances.
Marc Pugh and Matt Ritchie will be crucial to Bournemouth’s offensive play as they will link-up with full-backs down the sides and supply crosses to the strikers. Both wingers also have the ability to make diagonal runs infield and take shots from range. Glenn Murray could partner Callum Wilson as the centre forwards if King misses out.
This should be an entertaining game with both sides trying to patiently build attacks. Bournemouth’s attacks could be more expansive with their central midfielders pinging diagonal balls to the wingers while the full-backs bomb forward to create overlaps with the wide midfielders.
The Canaries will probably have their wide midfielders drifting infield, with the likes of Redmond attempting to affect the game just behind the Cherries’ midfield line. Norwich will also carry a threat from crosses with the aerial strength of Jerome plus Brady’s quality crosses.
Score prediction
Norwich City 2-2 Bournemouth
