Norwich v Nottingham Forest Betting Tip Both teams score – Saturday 21 March

Championship Tips

Back to back draws have seen Norwich slip behind the top three in the Championship but they still hold a realistic chance of finishing in the top two. Since Alex Neil arrived at Carrow Road they have really got their act together. Two defeats in their last 14 games is a stark cry from five defeats in the 10 before that. He has not only got them playing good football on a consistent basis, he has installed a much better attitude in the squad. That was evidenced in their most recent game where they came back from a goal down twice to earn a draw away to Huddersfield. What was even more remarkable was the fact that the second equaliser came in the eighth minute of injury time after the home side had taken the lead again only three minutes earlier. That could well prove to be a vital point in their quest for promotion and that sort of mentality will stand them in good stead in the remainder of their season.

One manager who has overseen an even greater transformation since taking control of a new club is Dougie Freedman. He took up the job on the 1st of February and has won seven of the 10 games in charge, losing only one. Whether or not they can sustain that level of form it is enough to get them into the top six remains to be seen, but what certainly can’t be disputed is the difference that the change in manager has had. Before Freedman came into they had lost five of their last 6 league games and managed to win just three of 21 matches. They still have a deficit of eight points to make up on the current sixth placed side Brentford which is a tall ask with so little of the season left.

Norwich’s home record is the worst of any of the top eight clubs with nine wins from 19 games at Carrow Road. It’s a testament to their excellent away form that they still hold a good chance of automatic promotion. Their home games average more than three goals per game and 12 of their games have featured both teams finding the back of net. With four home games left to play between now and the end of the season, it is not unrealistic to assume they will need at least three wins from them to finish in the top two.

One of the biggest changes in Forest since Freedman took over is their attacking intent. In their last 10 games they have scored 25 goals which is in stark contrast to their goalscoring form under previous manager Stuart Pearce when they averaged 1.2 goals a game – equating to a difference of more than a goal a game. This improvement is made even more impressive with the fact they have done this without the help of top scorer Britt Assombalonga.

As with all the games involving the top sides in the Championship this weekend, there is a huge amount riding on this. Norwich know they have to keep up the pressure on the top three and close the gap of five points if they can. Forest probably have to go through the rest of the season unbeaten winning six of their last eight to hold a chance of finishing in the play-offs. Those scenarios should make for an excellent and open game between two sides who have shown they are committed to playing attacking football under their managers and I would be very surprised if both sides do not find the back of the net in this one.

Both teams to score 4/5 @ Betfred