Norwich City V Newcastle United
Saturday 17th August 2019 – 15:00 Kick-Off
English Premier League
Pick: Over 2.5 Goals
Odds: Evens (1/1)
Bookmaker: WilliamHill
 |
1 | X | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/5 | 9/4 | 47/20 |
* (All betting odds displayed were correct as of 15th August 2019 at 13:10)
Preview: Neither of these teams could make it an ideal start to the new season, with both Norwich and Newcastle falling to defeats on the opening matchday to Liverpool and Arsenal respectively. However, it is Norwich who can at least boast of home comforts second time out, and at a ground they made a fortress during their successful promotion from The Championship last season, must surely fancy their chances of bouncing back with a win at Carrow Road.
English Premier League Betting with 22Bet
Norwich City Preview – Canaries to stick to their attacking philosophy?
With all the complimentary remarks post-match, we could almost be forgiven for assuming Norwich hadn’t in fact lost their opening game of the season a resounding 4-1 away to Liverpool. Some of it was justified; the attacking play was slick and incisive and should ensure Norwich find the back of the net on a regular basis this season. Defensively, however, the Canaries left themselves incredibly exposed and that, too, will lead to many more goals in the months ahead.
It might only have been one game but seeing Norwich in action made it easier to fathom just how their games averaged a healthy number of goals during their promotion campaign last season, finishing top of The Championship whilst netting more often than any other side in the division (93, at an average of 2.02 per game). It is likely to be even more fun at Carrow Road; their league games at home in 2018/19 averaged almost four a game (3.70), with three-quarters of them producing Over 2.5 Goals.
Norwich were also typically at their very best as the home side. No team in last season’s Championship collected more points from home fixtures than Daniel Farke’s side (W15 D4 L4, GF51 GA34). In fact, his team have managed to avoid defeat at Carrow Road since the end of December, going ten league games unbeaten there ever since (W7 D3).
Best Norwich Bet – Norwich to WIN & Over 2.5 Goals @ 13/5 with Boylesports? The sight of goals was almost a guarantee in matches contested at Carrow Road last season. Norwich were victorious on fourteen occasions in front of their own supporters, with ten of those featuring three or more goals in the game. Meanwhile, eight of their wins saw both teams on the scoresheet.
Newcastle United Preview – Magpies to make it four away games without losing?
Not the start The Toon Army were hoping for. But after a tumultuous summer which involved their beloved manager departing, along with the club’s reluctance to strike up a permanent deal for their leading scorer from the previous campaign, even the most ardent of Newcastle supporters would probably admit that a 1-0 loss at home to Arsenal in their opening fixture was probably not all that unexpected.
Can Steve Bruce’s side respond in a positive manner? In truth, his team didn’t perform too badly last time out. Quality chances were at a premium, though, creating only two efforts that were on target, but they competed well enough to suggest that perhaps they aren’t quite the hapless mess some would have us believe. Even so, it remains difficult investing too much confidence in Newcastle at the present time with so much instability surrounding them.
Last season, though, the club from the North East did end in reasonably good shape. A 3-2 defeat at home to Liverpool being their only loss in the final five matches (W3 D1 L1), avoiding defeat in the last three away fixtures against Leicester (W0-1), Brighton (1-1) and Fulham (W0-4). Although this was still a team that finished with a mediocre away record overall (W4 D8 L7), with only the teams that finished in the bottom four places producing fewer than their tally of 18 away goals.
Best Newcastle Bet – Win or Draw Double Chance @ 3/4 with MarathonBet? Despite all the doom and gloom lurking over the club, Newcastle managed to make life very difficult for Arsenal and weren’t exactly overrun. This should be an easier assignment on paper, plus there was that fine finish to the previous campaign which seen them avoid defeat in their final three away encounters.
Norwich V Newcastle Key Facts:
- Norwich‘s home games averaged 3.70 goals last season, with their overall record strong (W14 D4 L4).
- Newcastle ended 2018/19 unbeaten in their final three away fixtures (W2 D1) but only produced the 13th-best away record (W4 D8 L7).
- Each of the past four meetings have produced a minimum of four goals in the match, with all four producing both teams to score.
Betting Summary
Norwich have the hallmarks of a team that could be very fun to watch this season. Games involving them have tended to produce a lot of goals, with matches at Carrow Road in particular especially explosive. The Canaries registered fourteen wins at home in last season’s Championship, with games in Norfolk producing on average 3.70 goals a game.
It was a cautious display first time out from Newcastle, whose regime change during the summer was perhaps to blame for an opening performance that lacked much in the way of fluidity, especially in attack. The Magpies did, however, finish last season without losing any of their final three away games (W2 D1). Although that was with Rafa Benitez at the helm to mastermind minor miracles. The Spaniard made his team difficult to beat on the road, a trait that seems unlikely to continue under Steve Bruce.
Perhaps I am displaying signs of my own naivety here, because I was genuinely surprised to see odds around EVENS for Over 2.5 Goals. Granted that many of Newcastle’s away matches last season produced more Under than Overs, but that was with a shrewd tactician as manager. Norwich were fabulous at home and will take this game very much to the visitors, who should appreciate the spaces Norwich typically afford opposing teams to fashion better openings. The prospects of goals feels a lot better than the odds would suggest.
