Norwich City and Southampton will look to hit the ground running in 2024 when they square off in round 26 of the EFL Championship on New Year’s Day.
With August’s reverse fixture ending in a breathtaking 4-4 draw, we anticipate another action-packed contest at Carrow Road.
Norwich City were left empty-handed in their final outing in 2023 as they suffered a 1-0 loss against 10-man Millwall on Friday.
This was a second consecutive defeat for David Wagner’s men, who saw their five-game unbeaten run come to an end on Boxing Day courtesy of a 1-0 loss against West Bromwich Albion.
With 34 points from 25 matches, Norwich City are currently 13th in the EFL Championship table, level on points with Coventry City and Cardiff City.
Elsewhere, Southampton avoided a scare in their final game of the year as they picked up a 2-1 victory over Plymouth Argyle at the St. Mary’s Stadium.
Russell Martin’s side have now won four games on the bounce — scoring 12 goals and keeping three clean sheets — and have made it 17 consecutive matches without defeat since late September.
With 51 points from 25 matches, Southampton are currently third in the league standings, three points behind second-placed Ipswich Town in the second automatic promotion spot.
The last five meetings between Norwich and Southampton have produced a combined 15 goals and we anticipate another end-to-end affair, with the Saints extending their impressive winning streak.
