Norwich vs Sunderland live: Latest score, team news and updates as Canaries look to send Aston Villa down

Follow the latest from the Premier League clash at Carrow Road

Jermain Defoe will be crucial to Sunderland's hopes of staying in the Premier League (Getty)

Norwich can effectively relegate Aston Villa with a victory over Sunderland as well as put breathing space between themselves and the bottom three, but Sunderland will close the gap to just a point if they can win at Carrow Road. Follow the latest here.

• Timm Klose facing late fitness test for Norwich.
• Russell Martin and Sebastien Bassong in contention for Canaries
• Duncan Watmore returns to give Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce a fully fit squad
• Teams: TBC

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Higginbotham: If Newcastle drop down they will struggle to bounce back
Ranieri calm as Leicester close in on title
Van Gaal says he is under more scrutiny than any other manager

Today’s fixtures:

Norwich City vs Sunderland – 12.45pm

Everton vs Southampton – 3pm

Manchester United vs Aston Villa – 3pm

Newcastle United vs Swansea City – 3pm

West Bromwich Albion vs Watford – 3pm

Chelsea vs Manchester City – 3pm

Sunday’s fixtures:

Bournemouth vs Liverpool – 1.30pm

Leicester City vs West Ham – 1.30pm

Arsenal vs Crystal Palace – 4pm

Monday’s fixture:

Stoke City vs Tottenham Hotspur – 8pm

[16 April 2016 10:47 · Jack de Menezes]

Good morning and welcome to the Independent's live coverage of today's Premier League action in what is set to be crunch time for Aston Villa.

Villa know that anything but a victory against Manchester United will see them relegated to the Championship, although their fate may be taken out of their own hands before they've even kicked a ball. Norwich face Sunderland in the lunchtime kick-off in a crucial relegation encounter, and should the Canaries win they will go 18 points clear of Villa and hold a vastly superior goal difference, meaning that Villa would be all but relegated with 18 points available.

Elsewhere, Newcastle must get a victory against Swansea if they are to fight back in the battle for Premier League safety, while Southampton have the chance to overtake West Ham in fifth when they travel to Everton and West Brom host Watford at the Hawthorns.

Finally, we wrap up the day with an enticing fixture at Stamford Bridge as outgoing champions Chelsea take on Champions League semi-finalists Manchester City at 5.30pm.

[16 April 2016 10:47 · Jack de Menezes]

[16 April 2016 11:01 · Charles Reynolds]

[16 April 2016 11:02 · Charles Reynolds]

[16 April 2016 11:02 · Charles Reynolds]

[16 April 2016 11:24 · Charles Reynolds]

[16 April 2016 11:56 · Charles Reynolds]

Just under an hour until kick off in the mouthwatering relegation crunch (which sounds like a terrible brand of cereal) between Norwich and Sunderland – anyway here are the teams:Norwich: Ruddy, Wisdom, Bennett, Bassong, Olsson, Jarvis, O'Neil, Howson, Brady, Naismith, Mbokani. Subs: Jerome, Rudd, Hoolahan, Dorrans, Mulumbu, Redmond, Ivo Pinto.

 Sunderland: Mannone, Yedlin, Kone, Kaboul, Van Aanholt, Kirchhoff, Borini, Cattermole, M'Vila, Khazri, Defoe. 

Subs: Jones, Larsson, N'Doye, Pickford, O'Shea, Toivonen, Watmore. 

[16 April 2016 12:06 · Charles Reynolds]

It's all kicking off in Norwich! 

[16 April 2016 12:30 · Charles Reynolds]

Sunderland winners in today's battle of the mascots - even if Norwich's 'Captain Canary' has a great name

[16 April 2016 12:49 · Charles Reynolds]

Norwich 0 Sunderland 0: Oooh, early panic for Sunderland as a free kick is played into the box and they struggle to deal with it. One of the Norwich players was offside though.