Preview: Nottingham Forest vs. Norwich City - prediction, team news, lineups

Norwich City will be looking to extend their winning run and tighten their grip on top spot in the Championship when they travel to Nottingham Forest on Wednesday evening.

The Canaries have won eight games in a row and are 10 points clear of third place, while Forest are winless in four and are still not assured of safety in 17th place.

Match preview

© Reuters

Promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt has looked a formality for a number of weeks now, but Norwich boss Daniel Farke insists that it is still a case of taking it one game at a time.

The Canaries were made to work hard for the latest of their victories as they recovered from a goal down to beat strugglers Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 at Hillsborough on Sunday.

Teemu Pukki scored his 21st league goal of the campaign and Todd Cantwell netted the winner after Jordan Rhodes had earlier opened the scoring for Wednesday.

Norwich have not dropped a single point since the first week of February and are now 10 points in front of Swansea City, the last team to stop them from winning, having played a game more than the side in third.

With that latest triumph, City are the first Championship side to win 24 of their first 36 games since Newcastle United in 2016-17. Each of the last five sides to do so since the turn of the millennium has gone on to win the league.

© Reuters

Forest's hopes of bringing an end to their winless run in midweek look slim on the face of it, then, particularly when considering that they have lost each of their last three home league encounters with the Canaries.

Chris Hughton's men earned a 1-1 draw against playoff-chasing Reading at the weekend, though it was a disappointing outcome on reflection as Yakou Meite struck in the final 10 minutes to cancel out Tom Holmes's own goal.

It did at least bring an end to back-to-back losses without scoring - against Luton Town and Watford - and leaves the Reds nine points above the relegation zone.

That may seem like a comfortable buffer at this stage in the campaign, but 22nd-placed Rotherham United have four games in hand to play.

Wins are still needed for Forest, then - something they have achieved once in their last six games at the City Ground, with only seven goals scored for and against across those games.

Team News

© Reuters

Joe Lolley sustained a hamstring injury against Reading to join Harry Arter and Joe Worrall on the sidelines.

Anthony Knockaert is the most likely option to come into Forest's starting lineup, with Glenn Murray again leading the line.

Lewis Grabban and Luke Freeman will also be pushing for inclusion, though Hughton is unlikely to make any more changes from the draw with Reading.

As for Norwich, Sam Byram and Michael McGovern are their only confirmed injury absentees for this trip to the East Midlands.

Farke may be tempted to make a change or two, which could see Kieran Dowell come in for Lukas Rupp in attacking midfield.

Pukki seems certain to start up top as he looks to add to his 21 league strikes this term, which is still five short of the division's leading marksman Ivan Toney.

Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:

Samba; Christie, McKenna, Figueiredo, Bong; Garner, Cafu; Knockaert, Krovinovic, Ameobi; Murray

Norwich City possible starting lineup:

Krul; Aarons, Hanley, Gibson, Giannoulis; McLean, Skipp; Buendia, Dowell, Cantwell; Pukki

We say: Nottingham Forest 0-2 Norwich City

Norwich are in superb form and are close to sealing a return to the top flight after a one-year absence.

Forest are still in need of points if they are to avoid relegation, but it is difficult to see them picking up a first victory in five on Wednesday.