Goals galore guaranteed as Norwich host wounded Man City

Few things are certain in football but, if recent history is anything to go by, then Carrow Road is the place to be this weekend if you want to see goals fly in.

Struggling Norwich host even-money Premier League title favourites Manchester City as Manuel Pellegrini’s team play for the first time since being beaten by Chelsea.

Chris Hughton and the Canaries could well see City take their frustrations at losing to a major rival out on them.

The reverse fixture at the Etihad in November was an absolute mauling. Norwich were demolished 7-0 and a repeat of that scoreline in East Anglia is 125/1.

City thus start as odds-on favourites to return to winning ways here at 3/10, with 4/1 on a draw. Their hosts are 9/1 shots and need a victory because the Canaries have dropped to just two points above the relegation zone.

Hughton swooped for former Everton defender Joseph Yobo, bringing him to Carrow Road on transfer deadline-day on loan from Turkish giants Fenerbahce.

Yobo, now 33, has no qualms about being thrown in at the deep end against City. “I’m ready to play if the gaffer needs me,” he said.

“I’m very experienced, so if called upon I will do my best. Manchester City are a great team of course, but it’s 11 men versus 11 men. Anything can happen on Saturday.”

Norwich have kept successive home clean sheets, but conceded as many as they have scored at Carrow Road this season. They are thus 10/1 to seal a third shutout on the spin.

Form is also a problem for Hughton. His side have won once in 11 in all competitions. Prior to seeing their perfect league record at the Etihad go, City had gone 20 matches unbeaten and scored 33 times throughout January.

All the ingredients are there for the net to bulge often here, so the total goals markets are a must for punters. Each of the last five meetings have contained five goals or more, so odds of 3/1 on over 4.5 going in here are attractive.

City to score more than 4.5 goals on their own meanwhile is tempting at 9/1. The handicap prices look tasty too. If punters give the visitors a three-goal deficit, they can get 5/1.