Match Preview | Cardiff City vs. Norwich City
The Bluebirds face Norwich City in their first home match of 2021 on January 16th. The Canaries travel to the Welsh capital on Saturday afternoon, with kick-off at 3pm.
How do I watch the match?
A Cardiff City TV Match Pass can be purchased now for just £10 in the UK & Ireland. International Match Passes are available for just £7 per game, or £20 a month.
Cardiff City TV's broadcast includes a pre-match show ahead of a multi-camera production, with commentary and replays.
Supporters in the UK & Ireland can also purchase a Commentary Pass for £5 a month, or for just £25 for the remainder of the 2020/21 campaign.
How can I purchase the matchday programme?
There are two ways to get hold of the Cardiff City vs. Norwich City matchday programme.
The Bluebird – edition 12 for 2020/21, featuring Marlon Pack as cover star and feature interview, can be ordered and delivered in its traditional print format from Cardiff City FC SuperStore. Click here to buy your copy!
Matchday programme bundles are also now available. With your programme subscription, you’ll have each print edition delivered to your door for the rest of the 2020/21 campaign.
You can buy your programme bundle here for just £49, including delivery!
The Bluebird is now available digitally as well as in its traditional print format. The Norwich City edition will be available to download from 5pm on Friday, January 15th, 2021.
You can purchase a digital subscription for The Bluebird, receiving all 23 copies for 2020/21 direct to your phone or tablet for just £24.99. To purchase, download the MatchDayInfo App, visit 'My Teams', and click 'Season Programme Pass'.
Alternatively, individual digital copies of The Bluebird can be purchased before each game for £1.99 per edition.
To download the MatchDayInfo App click on the links below and search ‘Cardiff City’:
iOS
Android
Press conference | Harris pre-Norwich
City boss Neil Harris held a pre-match press conference on Thursday afternoon, looking ahead to the weekend’s fixture following a difficult week for the Bluebirds.
“Sol has been great, and the boys have responded in the manner that I would expect from the group of lads that we’ve got. The boys were hit quite hard by it, but having spoken to Sol, they know that he’s dealing with it and fighting it.
“It’s not just about a team performance, it’s about individual characteristics at tough times. I talk about us standing up and being counted, and these are the moments that you do it.
“You do it for yourself, your professional pride, the club that you represent and for your teammates, but also your mates, and Sol is a friend to everybody.”
Opposition Focus: Season so far
Norwich arrive in South Wales sitting pretty at the top of the Championship table, with 47 points at the halfway stage of the campaign. Daniel Farke’s team have recorded 14 wins from their 23 matches, with 5 draws and 4 defeats. The Canaries ascended to the division’s summit on November 21st after a 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough, and a sparkling run of five straight victories in December consolidated their position at the top over the Christmas period.
Farke’s side suffered their most recent defeat on Boxing Day, falling to a 1-0 loss against fellow promotion chasers Watford at Vicarage Road. Since then, Norwich have recorded one draw and one win, whilst also ensuring passage to the Fourth Round of the FA Cup. The Canaries earned a point against Queens Park Rangers with a 1-1 draw on December 29th, and kicked off 2021 with a 1-0 victory over Barnsley on January 2nd. Last weekend, they defeated Coventry City 2-0 in the Emirates FA Cup Third Round, setting up another clash with Barnsley in the next round.
Despite their relegation from the Premier League last season, Norwich have remained committed to the brand of possession-based football which won them the second-tier title in 2018/19. With 61%, the Canaries have the highest average amount of possession of any Championship side, and have recorded an average of 454 accurate passes per match. Farke’s men have also enjoyed an average of 5.3 shots on target per game, an amount only bettered in the division by Blackburn Rovers.
Opposition Focus: Ones to watch
Oliver Skipp joined the Canaries on loan from Tottenham Hotspur for the duration of the 2020/21 campaign, and has become an integral part of Daniel Farke’s starting eleven. The midfielder has featured in all 23 of Norwich’s league fixtures, and has completed 90 minutes in the previous 15 Championship matches. Often partnered alongside Kenny McLean, Skipp provides an important link between defence and attack for the Canaries, with a passing accuracy of 89% so far this season.
Max Aarons has also featured in all 23 of Norwich’s Championship games, having been a mainstay of Farke’s Premier League lineup during the 2019/20 campaign. Still only 21 years of age, Aarons was named in the Championship Team of the Year during the Canaries’ most recent season in the second tier, and has shown his quality at this level once again. The right-back, who has scored once so far this term, netted his first senior goal in a Carabao Cup clash against the Bluebirds back in August 2018.
Todd Cantwell scored Norwich’s second goal when the two sides met at Carrow Road back in December, and has been in fine form in recent weeks. Having shined in the top-flight last season, Cantwell has missed several matches through injury this term. However, since returning to the matchday squad on December 9th, the 22-year-old has helped Norwich record five wins from seven matches, scoring once and providing two assists.
Opposition Focus: CCS contests
The Canaries’ first visit to Cardiff City Stadium came back in October 2010, as the Bluebirds moved to the top of the Championship table with a 3-1 victory. The in-form Jay Bothroyd netted the opener for City, tapping home after Gabor Gyepes flashed a header across goal. Bothroyd then supplied Michael Chopra for a well-taken second, only for Wes Hoolahan to pull one back for Norwich before the break. Peter Whittingham made sure of the points in the second half, making no mistake from the penalty spot to secure victory.
The most recent league meeting between the two sides in the Welsh capital also finished 3-1 to the Bluebirds, during our promotion campaign of 2017/18. Clashing on December 1st, 2017, it was the Canaries who went ahead through Marco Stiepermann’s powerful drive, though Joe Ralls was able to level the score with a spot-kick. Junior Hoilett turned the game around with a sweet half-volley after the interval, and Omar Bogle scored a late third to keep up the pressure on league leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers.
