Norwich vs Hull prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2023-08-04 14:00.
Manager David Wagner insists he’s “very happy” with the standard of his Norwich City squad as the German looks to steer the East Anglian outfit back to the Premier League. The Canaries, among the favourites to get promoted, are entering their second successive season in the Championship, following a disappointing 13th-placed finish in 2022/23.
Wagner was in charge for the second half of that campaign after replacing Dean Smith in January, but has so far overseen only seven victories from 20 league fixtures at the helm (D5, L8). Supporters will be hoping for better fortunes this time round following a busy summer which has seen the squad bolstered with signings including Jack Stacey, Ashley Barnes and Shane Duffy, all of whom have previously won promotion from the division.
Some of the new additions may well be involved in an opening-day clash with Hull City, who have won on only one of their last 11 trips to Norwich (D3, L7). That does not bode well for a side who finished last season by going winless in their final ten away league games (D6, L4), including a 3-1 loss at Carrow Road despite taking the lead.
That form contributed to a 15th-placed finish for the Tigers, and the bookmakers aren’t expecting them to trouble the top of the table this season either. That hasn’t dampened the spirits of manager Liam Rosenior though, who believes his squad are in a “great place” following the summer acquisitions of Xavier Simons and Aaron Connolly, with the pair returning to the MKM Stadium following successful loan spells in 2022/23.
Key battle: Barnes will be looking to improve on his surprising record of having only scored four league goals in August across the last ten years. Hoping to stop him may be Hull defender Cyrus Christie, who has never kept a clean sheet when facing the Canaries, against whom he is also winless (D2, L4).
Hot stat: Norwich have failed to win their opening league game in five of the last six seasons (W1, D2, L3).