Preview: Norwich City vs West Bromwich Albion - prediction, team news, lineups

Both looking to record their second wins of the new competitive season, Norwich City and West Bromwich Albion clash at Carrow Road during the opening weekend of the Championship on Saturday afternoon.

The Canaries made easy work of MK Dons in the first round of the EFL Cup last weekend, whilst the Baggies were convincing winners over League Two outfit Rotherham United in Yorkshire.

Match preview

Heading into their fifth straight campaign outside the top tier of English football, Norwich City are potential dark horses for promotion to the Premier League in 2026-27, when head coach Philippe Clement is looking to realise his East Anglian ambitions.

The Belgian boss stated last season that his Canaries squad were good enough to compete at the top end of the table, with Saturday's hosts missing out on a playoff spot by just three positions following an outstanding push in the second half of the term.

A key part of the change in fortunes at Carrow Road, Mohamed Toure netted nine goals and provided three assists in just 11 Championship appearances, now returning to club action after a summer of World Cup duties with Australia.

The promising 22-year-old was one of four goalscorers for Norwich in East Anglia last weekend, when Anis Ben Slimane, Benjamin Crisene and new signing Andre Brooks netted in a 4-1 EFL Cup demolition of MK Dons.

The Canaries have dominated West Brom in their two meetings of 2026 to date, enjoying a 5-0 victory over Eric Ramsay's disjointed Baggies at The Hawthorns in January before a 3-1 FA Cup win over Albion in February.

Last weekend felt like an extension of a promise-filled pre-season for James Morrison's West Brom, who scored four impressive goals at Rotherham to secure a spot in the second round of the EFL Cup.

Continuing his excellent form against third and fourth-tier opposition this summer into a competitive fixture, Albion's new attacker Jimmy-Jay Morgan stole the headlines once again, bagging a brace at the expense of the undercooked Millers.

The travelling Baggie faithful at the AESSEAL New York Stadium also enjoyed an excellent first-half performance by academy graduate Harry Whitwell, before Norwegian midfielder Felix Horn Myhre scored on his debut for the club.

For the first time since the beginning of the century, West Brom are not considered top-tier contenders in the Championship promotion race, however, there is considerable optimism that former player Morrison can guide his troops to a successful season.

Only relegated duo Oxford United (18) and Sheffield Wednesday (18) collected fewer points on the road than West Brom (19) last season, although the Baggies were significantly improved away from the Black Country following the exit of Ramsay in late February.

Norwich City form (all competitions):

West Bromwich Albion form (all competitions):

Team News

Norwich remain without the services of attacker Mirko Topic, who sustained a serious knee injury in November 2025.

After a faltering spell at Carrow Road, Matej Jurasek is reportedly closing in on a loan move to Sparta Prague in Czech Republic.

There are also potential outgoings at West Brom, with midfielder Alex Mowatt linked to Derby County this week.

That could mean a spot opens up in the Albion XI alongside Ousmane Diakite, with Jayson Molumby a possible arrival into the side.

A number of West Brom players are in line for their full Championship debuts, including right-back Nolan Galves and ex-Chelsea man Morgan.

Norwich City possible starting lineup:

Kovacevic; Stacey, Darling, Cordoba, Chrisene; Mattsson, McLean, Brooks, Ben Slimane, Schwartau; Toure

West Bromwich Albion possible starting lineup:

O'Leary; Galves, Phillips, Campbell, Styles; Whitwell, Diakite, Mowatt, Price; Morgan, Heggebo

We say: Norwich City 2-1 West Bromwich Albion

One of the best-performing teams in the Championship since the arrival of Clement, Norwich could be a force to be reckoned with this season.

Despite recent confidence-boosting results against a clutch of League One and League Two teams, West Brom are likely to fall to an opening-weekend loss at Carrow Road.

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