Norwich City striker Dieumerci Mbokani (L) and midfielder Jonny Howson. (Photo : Getty Images)
Lowly clubs Norwich City FC (8-18-7, 31 points) and Sunderland AFC (6-17-9, 27 points) are both trying to escape relegation to the Football League Championship next season. The two teams face one another at the Carrow Road on Saturday, April 16th as the 2015-2016 Premier League season is gradually winding down to its last few matchdays.
Norwich City is currently at the 17th spot of the league table, precariously close to the relegation zone as they are only four points above Sunderland, who heads the bottom three teams, in the overall standings.
The Canaries, who were the 3rd place finishers of the Championship last season, are in danger of being demoted back to England's second division association football competitions if they will not be able to string some wins from here on.
Manager Alex Neil's squad is coming off a sorry 0-1 loss to Crystal Palace in their previous domestic top flight match held at the Selhurst Park last Saturday, as reported by SkySports.
The lone goal of the contest was netted by Eagles midfielder Jason Puncheon at the 68th minute as both teams were having a difficult time penetrating each other's defenses for most of the game.
The loss snapped the Yellows' two-game winning run as they now go back to the drawing board with five games left in their current campaign to try and avoid a quick demotion back next season.
Meanwhile, Sunderland suffered a 0-2 beating to current league leaders and potential 2015-2016 champions Leicester City at their home field of Stadium of Light last Sunday, as per BBC Sport.
Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy, this season's top two goalscorer with 21 goals in 33 games, scored a double at the 66th and 90th+5 minutes to lead the Foxes in the match and hand the Black Cats their sixth consecutive winless effort.
Sunderland, who placed 16th in the Premier League last season, will most likely experience relegation if they can't pull off a few victories in the six games they have left this season.
The predicted result is a tough 2-1 win for Norwich City.
Norwich City starting lineup (4-4-1-1 formation): Ruddy; Wisdom, Bennett, Klose, Olsson; Jarvis, O'Neil, Howson, Brady; Naismith; Mbokani
Sunderland starting lineup (4-1-4-1 formation): Mannone; Yedlin, Koné, Kaboul, van Aanholt; Kirchhoff; Borini, Cattermole, M'Vila, Khazri; Defoe
