MatchThe opposition lowdown: Norwich City

The view from Norwich

Paddy Davitt, Norwich City editor, The Pink Un

On Norwich's season so far...

By common consensus, this season's Championship is shaping up to be two promotion races in one. At this stage it looks like the top four are fighting it out for the automatic promotion places, and then a clutch of clubs who realistically have the last two play-off spots up for grabs. Norwich City will rightly feel they are firmly in that second group.

The midweek 1-0 away defeat at Leeds United was only a third in the previous 13 league and cup games. That run had put them back into contention, following seven defeats in nine prior to the festive period. David Wagner would point to injuries to key personnel, notably USA international forward Josh Sargent, which curtailed an excellent eight-game unbeaten start to this campaign. Sargent has scored twice since his return on New Year's Day from a long-term ankle injury, and has five in nine league appearances in total this season.

The Canaries have some big league games coming up after this cup tie, against clubs like Coventry City and Watford who are in that same play-off mix. At this stage of the season those are the games that will likely determine whether they remain in contention for the top six over the run-in.

On Wagner's preferred style of play...

Wagner's brand of football has been described as 'full throttle' and the parallels with Jürgen Klopp's approach are well established. No surprise, given they are former teammates and Wagner coached Borussia Dortmund's second team during Klopp's tenure. The criticism during his 12 months in charge at Carrow Road has been an inability to marry that desire to force high turnovers, and be positive in transition moments, with enough possession to control the tempo. That is a factor Wagner himself highlighted recently, and at Elland Road in midweek they had 48 per cent possession against one of the best sides on the ball in this season's Championship. The problem on the night was a lack of cutting edge in the final third.

On Norwich's key men this season...

Difficult to pinpoint one individual, given the inconsistent nature of results and performances. But central midfielder Kenny McLean has been a real constant. The Scottish international has captained the side in the injury absence of Grant Hanley, and underlined his versatility by operating at centre-back in a run of games to give City more of a ball-playing ability to step into midfield. In terms of a player to watch, however, Brazilian Gabby Sara has posted the goals and assists that put him right up there among the most creative forces in this season's Championship. Signed from Sao Paulo in the summer of 2022, the 24-year-old is an athletic, attack-minded midfield option who can play in the six, eight or 10 positions and is sure to be on the radar of a lot of Premier League clubs.

Predicted line-up (4-2-3-1): Long; Stacey, Hanley, Gibson, Giannoulis; McLean, Nunez; Fassnacht, Sara, Hernandez; Idah.

Previous meetings

The two teams last came together in this very competition in March 2022 at Anfield, when Liverpool secured a 2-1 victory as Takumi Minamino netted twice.

Prior to that, the last Premier League fixture came in the month earlier, the Reds also running out winners that day, earning a 3-1 home win with Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz all on the scoresheet.

What they said

Norwich head coach Wagner

"It isn't a free hit but it's a game in a different competition.

"Nothing that happens on Sunday will change anything for the Championship season. They are good, no surprise to anyone; my analyst department was impressed, but we will go there and try to embrace the occasion and go for it."