Manchester City v Norwich: Premier League match preview

A look ahead to this weekend's Premier League fixture at the Etihad Stadium

Sergio Aguero (Getty Images)

With a successor to Roberto Mancini not to be announced until the end of the season, Brian Kidd stepped into the managerial shoes for two matches – the first of which resulted in a comfortable victory over relegated Reading on Tuesday and the second of which will come against Norwich on Sunday.

Despite all the disruption off the field, there seemed to be little effect among the players as they cruised to a 2-0 win over the Royals to confirm their second-place finish in this season’s Premier League standings and seemingly banish any bruises from their FA Cup defeat the weekend previous.

Manchester City have loved playing against Norwich in the past – netting 18 times in their last four Premier League meetings at an average of 4.5 per game – and will expect more of the same to try and round off a disappointing season with a small glimmer of joy.

Norwich will head into Sunday’s clash knowing they could finish anywhere between 10 and 17 in what has become an unusually cramped table. However, if they’re to avoid slipping below their current 12-place, they must improve the away form that has seen them win just one of their last 20 domestic clashes on the road.

They did, however, record their biggest winning margin in the division since 1993 with last weekend’s 4-0 thrashing of West Brom.

The only expected absentees from the afternoon are City duo Kolo Toure and Scott Sinclair, who are struggling with knee and shoulder injuries respectively, and Canaries pair Michael Turner (groin) and Andrew Surman (knee).

KICK-OFF: Sunday, 4pm

PAST THREE MEETINGS…

Norwich 3 (Pilkington, Martin 2), Manchester City 4 (Dzeko 2, Aguero, Bunn OG), Premier League, December 2012

Norwich 1 (Surman), Manchester City 6 (Tevez 3, Aguero 2, Johnson), Premier League, April 2012

Manchester City 5 (Aguero, Nasri, Toure, Balotelli, Johnson), Norwich 1 (Morison), Premier League, December 2011

STATS…

• Norwich have won just one of their previous 11 top-flight meetings with City (in 1993).
• Only Reading (eight) have taken fewer points away from home than Norwich (10). They have won just one of their last 20 domestic away matches.
• Grant Holt committed the most fouls last season and is on track to doing the same again this year, currently on top of the leader board with 80 – nine less than last season.
• City have scored 18 goals in their last four Premier League games against Norwich, averaging 4.5 a game.
• Sergio Aguero has scored four goals in the Premier League against Norwich City – against no side has he scored more often.

ODDS…

Manchester City to win: 1.36

Norwich to win: 11.00

Draw: 5.5

TV: Highlights on BBC1 at 10:25pm.