Tuesday, 14th December 2021
\nPremier League
\nCarrow Road, Norwich
\nKO: 19.45<\/p>\n
Aston Villa will take the long trip up the A14 to take on former manager Dean Smith and his Norwich City side this evening.<\/p>\n
Steven Gerrard had a momentous reunion with his former club Liverpool over the weekend and this time it\u2019s the turn of Smith who was sacked as Villa boss at the start of November.<\/p>\n
Smith managed Villa for 139 games which included promotion back to the Premier League, a League Cup Final and Premier League survival. Some fans were upset when Villa parted ways with the 50-year-old but Smith was back working just 8 days later at Norwich.<\/p>\n
Villa battled well at Liverpool at the weekend but it just wasn\u2019t to be when Mo Salah fired home from the penalty spot. Gerrard will look at today\u2019s game against Norwich and the weekend encounter at Villa Park against Burnley as winnable fixtures.<\/p>\n
Norwich currently sits bottom of the table on goal difference, level on 10 points with Newcastle United. In the five games since Smith became manager, they have won 1, drawn 2 and lost 2.<\/p>\n
Last season Villa picked up maximum points with a 1-5 win at Carrow Road and then a 1-0 win in the reverse fixture.<\/p>\n
Norwich will be without defender Grant Hanley for the \u2018foreseeable future\u2019 with a shoulder injury. The big defender was withdrawn in the first half of the Canaries narrow defeat to Manchester United at the weekend.<\/p>\n
Ben Gibson could return from injury himself and replace Hanley.<\/p>\n
Norwich will be without Andrew Omobamidele (back), Christoph Zimmermann, Milot Rashica and Mathias Normann. Christos Tzolis currently has Covid-19.<\/p>\n
Marvelous Nakamba will miss the game with a knee injury. Unconfirmed reports this evening suggest he may miss the rest of the season.<\/p>\n
Villa also have a couple of covid cases in the playing side but it is unconfirmed who it has affected at the moment.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
It\u2019s no real surprise when I have picked Teemu Pukki. The Finland striker impressed a few seasons ago when Norwich were in the Premier League and he is impressing again.<\/p>\n
Pukki has 5 goals to date in the 16 Premier League appearances he has made. He has also scored 6 in 8 for Finland.<\/p>\n
Villa will have their work cut out with a player who likes to hold on to the ball and turn his man.<\/p>\n
Norwich City 22 wins, 16 draws, Aston Villa 34 wins.<\/p>\n
Last 5 meetings:<\/p>\n
26 Dec 2019: Aston Villa 1-0 Norwich
\n05 Oct 2019: Norwich 1-5 Aston Villa
\n05 May 2019: Aston Villa 1-2 Norwich
\n23 Oct 2019: Norwich 2-1 Aston Villa
\n07 Apr 2018: Norwich 3-1 Aston Villa<\/p>\n
If Villa are looking to press on this season, these are the kind of games we need to be looking at coming away with all three points.<\/p>\n
Despite their league position, Norwich will be no pushover though. Smith will have his side up for this game and they will also look at this game as one they need to win should they have any chance of Premier League survuval.<\/p>\n
Norwich 1-2 Aston Villa<\/p>\n