- Norwich play Hull away from home in the final match of the Championship season.
- Philippe Clement will still miss several first-team stars through injury.
- The game is not a dead rubber despite the lack of jeopardy involved.
Norwich City travel away from Norfolk to take on Hull City this weekend in a game that ultimately means very little to their season.
The 1-1 draw with Swansea at Carrow Road last weekend ended any hopes they had of making a late dash for sixth place and the play-offs.
Hull, meanwhile, head into the final game of the season with a chance to sneak into the top six, and they will be going all out for the win.
How Clement could approach the game
Philippe Clement is not the type of manager to throw the U21 team out because there is nothing to play for.
It is unlikely that we see Elliot Myles, Botan Ameen, Rio Mundle, and Dylan Jones start against the Tigers, as the Belgian boss will want to end the season on a high.
The last few months of Clement’s Norwich story have been about gearing up for the 2026/27 campaign, and this game is another step along that path.
Building positive momentum heading into the summer transfer window and into pre-season is key, which means that a win against Hull remain an important objective, despite the lack of jeopardy on the result.
From a mentality perspective, therefore, this is not a dead rubber for Clement or the team, because they will treat it with the respect that it deserves.
Futures on the line…
Another reason why this is far from a dead rubber for the Canaries is because that there are still players at the club who are fighting for their Carrow Road futures.
Norwich confirmed last week that Jeffrey Schlupp, Shane Duffy, Emi Marcondes, Tony Springett, and Dan Barden are due to leave when their contracts expire at the end of June.
However, they are not the only players in the current squad who will not be at Carrow Road come the end of the summer transfer window.
Players like Amankwah Forson, Mathias Kvistgaarden, and Jakov Medic, for example, look set to be on the fringes of the squad when everyone is fit and available.
If they can step in against Hull, should they be given a chance, and produce a big performance right before the break for the summer, that could leave an impression on Clement and alter his plans.
Forson, in particular, feels like a player who could easily become a star next season or be sold within the first week of the window.
This clash with Hull could be a big chance for him to impress on the right flank, if he comes back into the team, and convince Clement that he deserves a spot in the squad next term.
Overall, Norwich supporters should not expect the team to be on the beach for the trip to Hull this weekend, because there is plenty at stake for Clement, the squad overall, and individuals within the team.
