Norwich City vs. Everton: Complete Preview, Team News, Projected Toffees Lineup

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Everton travel to Norwich on Saturday, desperate to revive their fading hopes of making next year's Champions League.

Unable to maintain their impressive early-season pace, David Moyes' side have appeared to run out of gas over recent weeks and will hope to return to winning ways at Carrow Road.

The Toffees face a Norwich side in a dismal patch of form themselves, without a Premier League win since mid-December and, astonishingly, with just one goal in their past six games.

On 29 points with just 12 games to go, the Canaries will be anxious to grind out a few much needed wins to secure their top flight status for next season.

Here's a preview for Saturday's clash, complete with previous meetings, team news and a possible Toffees lineup.

Previous Meetings

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Since the Canaries' most recent return to top flight football, Everton have been unable to better the men from East Anglia, contesting a trio of frustrating draws.

It would be fair to say the Toffees have been the dominate force in all three encounters but have been unable to finish off a resilient Norwich outfit.

Before last season's games, Everton had enjoyed a five match winning streak against the Canaries, although, before that, they were unable to win any of the previous five.

During the Premier League era both sides have had three wins, there have been five draws, and the Toffees have collected a pair of convincing FA Cup triumphs too.

Team News

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Both sides have relatively clean bills of health going into Saturday's game.

Seamus Coleman and Tony Hibbert are the two longer-term injury worries for Everton and neither right-back seems likely to feature at Norwich.

Victor Anichebe was forced off with an injury against Oldham, although there hasn't been any indication over the extent of the damage, yet.

For the Canaries, former Everton reserve-team goalkeeper John Ruddy is the only major absentee meaning Mark Bunn will continue to deputise in goal.

Anthony Pilkington was forced to miss the recent international schedule with a hamstring injury, but it seems likely the Irishman will return.

Possible Everton XI

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Everton (4-4-1-1)

Tim Howard; Phil Neville, Phil Jagielka, Sylvain Distin, Leighton Baines; Kevin Mirallas, Darron Gibson, Leon Osman, Steven Pienaar; Marouane Fellaini; Nikica Jelavic.

In front of Howard, there shouldn't be too much deliberation over three of the four slots, with right-back once again the main area of concern for David Moyes.

Neville is favourite to continue in the absence of Tony Hibbert and Seamus Coleman, although new signing John Stones is supposedly in contention to start.

In midfield, Mirallas missed out against Oldham, as Fellaini dropped deeper and Osman shuffled out to the right. However, the midfield Everton started the second-half with looked the most cohesive unit and Moyes may opt to deploy that quartet here.

That would leave Fellaini pushed up behind Jelavic with Victor Anichebe missing out on a starting berth.

The Nigerian's injury status is currently unclear, but with Jelavic scoring a brace on his last trip to Carrow Road, it would perhaps make sense to try and coax some form out of Jelavic from the start.

 

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