Norwich V Aston Villa Barclays Premier League Match 21 -September 2013

Norwich V Aston Villa Barclays Premier League Match 21 -September 2013. Norwich could give a debut to summer signing Gary Hooper, who has recovered from a shin problem.

However, the Canaries remain without Elliott Bennett and Ryan Bennett, both of whom are sidelined by knee injuries.Watch Norwich V Aston Villa Live, Watch Norwich V Aston Villa Live Stream, Watch Norwich V Aston Villa Free Live Stream, Watch Norwich V Aston Villa Online, Watch Norwich V Aston Villa Online Free, Norwich V Aston Villa Live, Norwich V Aston Villa live stream Online.

Aston Villa defender Ciaran Clark is expected to start in place of Jores Okore, who could miss the rest of the season with a cruciate ligament injury.

Nathan Baker has recovered from the ankle problem he sustained in the opening-day win at Arsenal.
MATCH PREVIEW

It's far too early to make predictions with any real confidence, but it is beginning to look as though Norwich and Aston Villa will be knocking around in the same section of the Premier League table for much of the campaign.

The Canaries' problem last season was goalscoring, and with former Celtic striker Gary Hooper yet to make his debut because of injury it's hard to say whether they have really solved that.

Ricky van Wolfswinkel is yet to get into his stride and Johan Elmander's game has never been about his goal ratio. Hooper was on the bench at Tottenham last weekend and will be hoping to get his boots dirty against Villa.
By far Norwich's biggest plus so far has been Nathan Redmond, who looks the real deal when he cuts in from the left wing onto his right foot - rather like Hatem Ben Arfa only from the other flank.

Redmond's ability to vary and disguise his threat will improve with experience but the raw materials are there.

There's no disguising Villa's threat - Christian Benteke has scored 20 goals in 2013 in all competitions. That's one more than nearest rival Robin van Persie and three more than the next best, Daniel Sturridge.

It's really just as well that Benteke has been so prolific this calendar year because Villa's last Premier League clean sheet was back in 2012 and their search for defensive solidity has not been helped by the long-term injury to Jores Okore.

The stellar result on the opening day at Arsenal has been followed by three defeats, which is their worst run since they were beaten by Chelsea, Spurs and Wigan in successive games last December with a combined score of 15-0.

However tough it gets for Villa this season, it shouldn't get as bad as that.
MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

Aston Villa won on both visits to Carrow Road last season: 4-1 in a League Cup quarter-final last December, and then 2-1 in the Premier League in May when Gabby Agbonlahor scored his second goal of the game in the last minute.
That was only Norwich's second home defeat in their last 14 league meetings with Villa (W7, D5, L2).

Norwich City

The 2-1 loss against Villa in May is Norwich's only defeat at Carrow Road in 11 league matches in 2013 (W4, D6, L1).
However, the Canaries are aiming to earn successive home wins for the first time since December.
Their solid home form has offset a poor away record of one victory and five points from the last 12 games.
Norwich, like Villa, have yet to lead at half-time this season.

Aston Villa

Villa have gone 26 league games without a clean sheet, the longest current run in the top flight. They conceded a Premier League club record 69 goals last season.
The Villans are the only team to have conceded the opening goal in all four of their Premier League fixtures to date this season.
They were the only top-flight club to earn more points away (21) than at home (20) last season.
Christian Benteke has scored 18 Premier League goals in 2013, more than any other player in the division.
Paul Lambert won 70 of his 142 matches in charge of Norwich between August 2009 and May 2012, drawing 35 and losing 37.