Norwich City kick off their Championship campaign at Carrow Road on Saturday when they host West Bromwich Albion in Norfolk.
Philippe Clement’s side beat MK Dons 4-1 in their first competitive match of the season in the League Cup last weekend, thanks to goals from Mohamed Toure, Anis Ben Slimane, Ben Chrisene, and Andre Brooks.
The Belgian head coach will now have to pick the best possible starting line-up to deal with the threat that James Morrison’s Baggies pose, which is why there may be a change or two from the side that started against MK Dons.
The goalkeeper and defence
GK: Vladan Kovacevic
City’s number one will start between the sticks. Vladan Kovacevic saved a penalty and made a couple of solid stops from open play in the win over MK Dons last weekend.
RB: Jack Stacey
Kellen Fisher played in an internal match last weekend as he steps up his recovery from injury, but this game may come too soon for him to come back in from the start.
That means that Jack Stacey should keep his place in the side at right-back.
CB: Ruairi McConville
Harry Darling versus Ruairi McConville has become a big talking point recently, and this is a game that could suit the latter more than the former.
6 foot 1 Aune Heggebo won 2.5 aerial duels per game for West Brom last season and will provide a threat in the air for the opposition, which means that the Canaries may need their best aerial defender to stop him.
McConville won 66% of his aerial battles in the division last season, compared to Darling’s 57%, and is more likely to deal with the Norwegian’s threat.
CB: Jose Cordoba
The only left-footed centre-back in the senior squad, Jose Cordoba, should start alongside the Northern Ireland international for this match.
LB: Ben Chrisene
Ben Chrisene scored two goals against the Baggies last season, once in the league and once in the FA Cup, and he got on the scoresheet against MK Dons last weekend.
Darlin Yongwa needs time to settle in and build up his fitness after being without a club for pre-season, which means that the Englishman has a big chance to get a run of starts under his belt.
The midfield
CM: Pelle Mattsson
Clement’s midfield pairing is more or less set in stone when everyone is fit and available. Pelle Mattsson will start as one of the two central midfielders.
CM: Kenny McLean (C)
Alongside the Dane, Kenny McLean will start and captain the team. He provided an excellent assist for Mohamed Toure inside the opening minute against MK Dons.
AM: Anis Ben Slimane
Norwich’s Tunisia international scored a sublime goal in the win over MK Dons, sending the defender sliding before slotting the ball into the bottom corner, and he will be looking to follow that up with a goal in the league.
The attack
RW: Andre Brooks
Norwich paid a fee of up to £9m to sign Andre Brooks from Sheffield United earlier this summer and they got a glimpse of what he is capable of in the win over MK Dons, as he provided an assist and scored his first goal for the club.
Matej Jurasek is providing competition for the starting berth on the right as another left-footed winger, but the Czechia international is very clearly second-choice in the pecking order for now.
CF: Mohamed Toure
After Mathias Kvistgaarden’s back injury against MK Dons, Mohamed Toure may be the only fit and available centre-forward for this match.
The 22-year-old striker has scored 11 goals in 13 matches since he joined from Randers in January, and scored against the Baggies in January.
LW: Paris Maghoma
Whilst Norwich explore the market for left-wing options to replace Ali Ahmed, Paris Maghoma could get the nod on the left side to give him the license to drift inside and link up with Slimane, Brooks, and Toure.
Oscar Schwartau struggled on the left against MK Dons and could be more effective as a substitute in the number ten role or off the right side as a replacement for Brooks.
Full predicted Norwich line-up: Kovacevic; Stacey, McConville, Cordoba, Chrisene; Mattsson, McLean (C); Brooks, Slimane, Maghoma; Toure
