Preview: Norwich City vs Portsmouth - prediction, team news, lineups

Relegation-threatened Portsmouth will return from the international break with a tricky away assignment against Norwich City on Good Friday.

Pompey are hovering just above the dotted line, while the Canaries resume their Championship campaign in 10th spot.

Match preview

The story of Norwich's 2025-26 campaign is best demonstrated by splitting the team's form before and after Philippe Clement's arrival in the dugout in November.

The Belgian took over a side that were languishing in 23rd place after winning just two of their first 15 league games of the season (D3, L10).

The Canaries have since enjoyed a signicant upturn in fortunes, having won 14 of their 24 Championship outings under Clement's watch, including five wins in their last six league matches.

Pelle Mattsson's ninth-minute effort proved enough to fire the Canaries to a 1-0 away victory over Charlton in their final game before the international window, leaving them nine points adrift of the playoffs with seven games left to play.

While it will be difficult to close that significant gap, the Canaries' current focus will be on completing their first league double over Portsmouth since 1996-97 after winning 2-1 at Fratton Park in August.

However, that will be easier said than done, given the fact they have not beaten Pompey at home since September 2002.

In contrast to their opponents, Portsmouth would have been grateful for the timing of the international window after mustering just one point from their last six outings.

They went into the two-week break on the back of a demoralising 6-1 defeat away to Queens Park Rangers, which saw them ship three goals inside the opening half an hour at Loftus Road.

A third consecutive defeat has left Portsmouth languishing in 21st place and just a point clear of the drop zone ahead of their Easter fixtures against Norwich and relegation rivals Oxford United.

While John Mousinho would have been concerned by his team's poor defensive showing against QPR, his team's greater problems lie at the opposite end of the pitch, considering they have the lowest big chance conversion rate of any team in the second tier (24.1%).

Pompey will travel to Carrow Road knowing there is a risk they could lose four consecutive league games for the first time since March 2021.

That said, they should take confidence from the fact they have won each of their last three away games against Norwich, including a thrilling 5-3 triumph in April last year.

Norwich City Championship form:

W W W W L W

Norwich City form (all competitions):

W L W W L W

Portsmouth Championship form:

L L D L L L

Team News

Norwich are contending with a lengthy injury list that includes Shane Duffy, Gabriel Forsyth, Lucien Mahovo, Matej Jurasek and Mirko Topic.

They are also without the attacking quintet of Oscar Schwartau, Jovon Makama, Papa Amadou Diallo, Mohamed Toure and Ante Crnac.

Defender Jack Stacey is available for selection after recovering from the injury that kept him out of the win over Charlton.

As for the visitors, midfielder Ebou Adams will be out for the next couple of weeks after sustaining an injury in the defeat to QPR before the international break.

Adams is joined on the sidelines by Josh Knight, Mark Kosznovszky, Josh Murphy, Florian Bianchini and Franco Umeh.

Keshi Anderson should be fit to feature in the matchday squad, but the contest is likely to come too soon for Andre Dozzell.

Norwich City possible starting lineup:

Kovacevic; Stacey, McConville, Cordoba, Fisher; Mattsson, McLean; Maghoma, Slimane, Ahmed; Kvistgaarden

Portsmouth possible starting lineup:

Schmid; Swanson, Poole, Shaughnessy, Ogilvie; Devlin, Pack; Segecic, Swift, Alli; Bishop

We say: Norwich City 2-0 Portsmouth

Portsmouth have enjoyed success in recent trips to Carrow Road, but they are currently low on confidence following a poor run of results, and we think their disappointing run of form will continue against an in-form Norwich side.

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