Preview: Norwich City vs. Brighton & Hove Albion

Norwich City will be looking to get their playoff challenge back on track when they host struggling Brighton & Hove Albion at Carrow Road on Saturday.

The Canaries led the way in the Championship earlier in the season, but a run of just two wins in their last 10 league matches has seen them slump down to 10th in the table.

However, they remain just two points off the top six, and victory this weekend would keep them in the mix of what is turning out to be a closely-fought playoff battle.

The international break may have come at a perfect time for Neil Adams, who saw his side fall to demoralising defeats at the hands of Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest in their last two outings.

Both of those came away from home, however, and Norwich have only lost once in front of their own fans so far this season, although they have also only won one of their last six at Carrow Road.

Adams will be accompanied in the dugout by Mike Phelan for the first time after the former Manchester United assistant joined the coaching staff earlier this week.

The hosts will also have Martin Olsson available despite the defender withdrawing from international duty with a knee injury, but Ryan Bennett and Wes Hoolahan remain sidelined.

Brighton, meanwhile, will need to overcome a torrid record against Norwich if they are to pick up a rare win under Sami Hyypia. The Seagulls have lost six of their last seven meetings with the Canaries, including their last four, and have won just one of their last 15 league trips to Carrow Road.

Those numbers will not give much joy to a side who are already struggling this season, coming into this match just one point clear of the bottom three.

Brighton have picked up just one win in their last 13 league matches, while only bottom-of-the-table Blackpool have amassed fewer victories in the whole division this season.

However, despite averaging just a point per game so far, Brighton have not been the easiest team to beat. Indeed, they have only lost by more than a one-goal margin once all term.

Lack of goals has been perhaps their biggest issue, with the Seagulls hitting the target with a league-low 34% of their shots and managing just 17 goals.

They have not picked up a win on their travels since August, but did go into the international break on a relative high with victory over Wigan Athletic followed by a draw against playoff-chasing Blackburn Rovers.

Gary Gardner scored in both of those matches and will start in midfield again this weekend, but Lewis Dunk will play no part having amassed enough yellow cards for a suspension.

Norwich:

Recent form: LDDWLL

Possible starting lineup: Ruddy; Martin, Cuellar, Turner, Olsson; O'Neill, Tettey, Howson, Johnson; Grabban, Jerome

Brighton:

Form in Championship: LDDLWD Form in all competitions: DDLLWD

Possible starting lineup: Walton; Calderon, Greer, Halford, J Bennett; Gardner, Ince, Forster-Caskey; E Bennett, Baldock, LuaLua

Sports Mole says: 3-1