Norwich vs Portsmouth Predictions

Both Norwich and Portsmouth are enjoying successful campaigns in their respective divisions and will be hoping to earn automatic promotion and possibly some silverware. The FA Cup could be seen as a unwelcome distraction for both teams this weekend, but Norwich City will be hoping that a return to winning ways on Saturday can spark a return to form in the Championship. Portsmouth have won three of their last four matches and will be eager to prove they can mix it with the best in the Championship.

Norwich rescued a late draw away at Brentford on New Years Day, but no wins in their last three matches have seen the Canaries slip down to second place in the Championship table. French centre back Jeanvier put the home side in front in the twenty-second minute and that goal proved enough to separate the two club sat the break. Very few clear cut chances were created by either team during the ninety minutes, but Norwich were able scrape a draw thanks to an eighty-third minute goal from Swiss defender Klose. Brentford had the better of the chances and will be disappointed to have let their lead slip so late on at home, while Norwich must improve if they want to go all the way and win the league this season.

Portsmouth needed a late goal in their home game against Wimbledon, but on this occasion the late strike earned the title challengers all three points. Lowe put Pompey into an eighth minute lead and Wimbledon failed to carve out a response until the seventy-fifth minute when Appiah levelled for the visitors. The hosts responded well to Wimbledon’s equaliser and pushed forward in search of the winning goal, and just five minutes after being pegged back Curtis restored Portsmouth’s one goal lead after good work from Thompson who claimed the assist.

Just one goal was scored the last time these two sides met back in 2011, where a fiftieth minute strike from Canadian international Jackson won the game for the visitors Norwich. Nigerian legend Kanu was playing that day, but even he couldn’t produce the magic Pompey needed, and that season Norwich went on to gain automatic promotion to the Premier League while Portsmouth finished in mid table. With three wins, one draw, and two defeats its Portsmouth that head into Saturday FA Cup tie as the slight form favourites ahead of their hosts, with Norwich picking up two wins, three draws, and suffering one defeat during that same period. Finnish striker Pukki has scored fifteen goals in the league for Norwich this season, top scoring for the hosts, while Lowe is on ten League One goals for Pompey, closely followed by Curtis on nine, and Evans with eight.

We’re confident that both teams will score in Saturday’s match, and have backed Norwich City to claim a 3-2 win. Four of the last six meetings between the pair have seen both teams score, while both teams have scored in five of Norwich’s and five of Portsmouth’s last six matches in all competitions. Over 4.5 goals have been scored in three of Norwich’s last six matches, while Portsmouth scored five goals in their last away game against Fleetwood Town.