HomeFeatured ArticlesNorwich City vs Tottenham Preview | Predictions, Stats and Key Players

Norwich City vs Tottenham Preview | Predictions, Stats and Key Players

The Champions League battle is going to the final day and Tottenham won’t believe the position they are in. They have been chasing Arsenal for weeks and back-to-back defeats for the Gunners, one of which was inflicted by Spurs, has put Antonio Conte’s men in the ascendency. All Spurs have to do is to beat Norwich City on the final day and the Canaries have been relegated for weeks. There is little for the home side to play for, but Dean Smith will want his players to put in a strong performance ahead of the summer.

Tottenham have once lost to a relegated team on final day to lose Champions League football. They were humiliated by Newcastle United in 2016 on the final day and supporters will be worried getting embarrassed in a similar way on Sunday. News of a food poisoning outbreak in the squad has given a sense of Deja vu, but Conte has played it down. They will be able to field a strong team and the focus will be on guarding against complacency. If they are professional and maintain their recent standards, they will be confident they can finish the job and clinch a Champions League place.

It has been another testing season for Norwich City at Premier League level. This summer will be a crossroads for the club, as the fans will want to see progression. One relegation can be tolerated if the club then manages to return to the level and then establishes themselves. However, the Canaries had another year of embarrassment in the Premier League and it is difficult to see any progress from their last campaign at this level. Dean Smith is a steady pair of hands and he will believe that he can be the man to build the solid foundations at Carrow Road.

Interesting stats

Norwich have conceded two or more goals in their last five matches against Tottenham.

No player has scored more goals on the final day than Harry Kane with eight Premier League goals.

Pukki

Although Norwich have struggled to compete at this level, Teemu Pukki has had another positive season in the Premier League. He is emerging as one of the best strikers in the club’s history and it will be interesting to see if he stays for another season in the Championship. This season, he has contributed 11 goals and three assists, which is a very good return for a relegated club. At the age of 32, it seems unlikely that clubs will be looking to take a chance on him. However, he may want to have one final big move and keep playing at a high level. A move to Europe could be possible, but Smith will be desperate to keep him around for another promotion challenge. Tottenham have been an excellent defensive side in recent weeks and there will be confidence that they can keep a clean sheet at Norwich. Pukki is the player they will be most worried about. He still manages to get chances in a poor team and he has a clinical edge.

Son

It has been another excellent season for Son Heung-min and there is no doubting that he is one of the best players in the Premier League. He has been at that level for a number of years now and it would be a great personal moment if he was to finish as the Premier League’s top scorer. The South Korean is currently trailing Mohamed Salah by one goal. Son has contributed 21 goals and seven assists in the Premier League. He has moved to the same level as Harry Kane in level of importance and Antonio Conte has found a system that gets the best out of both. They are the most prolific partnership in Premier League history and they have taken that to a whole new level under the Italian manager. It is rumoured that Harry Kane has an illness. Although he is expected to be okay to start, there could be some lingering effects, which increases the importance of Son.

Team news

Mathias Normann should be passed fit after recovering from a knock. Billy Gilmour has returned to Chelsea with an injury, so he won’t play in the final game. Ben Gibson has a back injury.

Harry Kane is expecting to start, despite suffering with an illness during the week. There are others in the camp that have also suffered, but their identities are unknown.

Verdict

There will be Arsenal fans that hope Norwich can spring a surprise result, but it seems extremely unlikely. Tottenham have become a consistent team under Conte and it is difficult to see them dropping points at Carrow Road. Norwich have conceded 79 goals this season, more than any other Premier League side. Their defence isn’t good enough to contain Spurs and their attack will struggle to outscore Spurs. This should be a straightforward win for Tottenham to clinch Champions League football.

Norwich City 0-4 Tottenham

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