Norwich vs Portsmouth predictions: More away-day blues for Pompey
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- Norwich have lost only four of their 21 home league games this season
- Portsmouth have lost 11 of their last 12 away league matches
- Recommended bet: Norwich to win
Having once looked like genuine Championship play-off contenders, Norwich’s season has petered out, although they would still be expected to have too much quality for struggling Portsmouth.
A run of just two wins from their last 12 league games means it is all about looking forward to next season for the Canaries, whose recent dip has seen them slip 12 points off the play-off pace.
The final four games should still be of serious importance to Norwich head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup, however, as he bids to stake his claim to stay in the Carrow Road hotseat for another season.
Victory is more significant for visitors Portsmouth, who are only four points above the relegation zone with four games to go.
However, Pompey tend to save their best work for their Fratton Park fortress and have suffered 15 defeats in 21 away league games this season.
Team news
Norwich remain without Benjamin Chrisene, Gabriel Forsyth, Lewis Dobbin and Lucien Mahovo while Onel Hernandez and Ante Crnac have been recent omissions from the squad.
Portsmouth have a number of defensive injuries to contend with, as Ibane Bowat, Jacob Farrell, Hayden Matthews, Alexander Milosevic and Conor Shaughnessy are all missing.
The visitors are also without strikers Paddy Lane and top scorer Callum Lang, both of whom have been sidelined for the past few months.
The stats
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Norwich have lost only four of their 21 home league games this season and have recorded back-to-back clean sheets at Carrow Road against West Brom and Sunderland.
Portsmouth have won only two of their 21 away league games this season, suffering defeat in 11 of their last 12 Championship fixtures on the road.
Each of Pompey’s last five away league defeats have been by a single goal.
The last five meetings between these two sides have gone under 2.5 goals.
Despite sitting 13th in the Championship, only leaders Leeds have netted more league goals than Norwich’s tally of 63 in 42 games.
Prediction
Norwich have suffered defeat in four of their last six league matches to virtually end their playoff aspirations, but they should still be too explosive for Portsmouth at Carrow Road.
Despite their recent struggles, the Canaries have been beaten only four times in 21 home league games this season and four points from their last two Carrow Road outings against promotion hopefuls West Brom and Sunderland is far from a disgrace.
Thorup will want his Norwich side to finish the campaign strongly in order to ensure he starts next season as manager and it would be disappointing were they to falter against a travel-sick Portsmouth.
Pompey remain in relegation danger and that is because they have picked up only 10 of their 46 points away from Fratton Park.
John Mousinho’s side have lost 11 of their last 12 away league matches and they are unlikely to have much joy against Norwich, who are the second-highest scorers in the division.
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