The days of Norwich scraping one-goal victories in unexpected circumstances seem an aeon ago and, with their hot streak very much a thing of the past, Ladbrokes’ industry-best price on the Norfolk club to be relegated could reap some serious rewards for punters.
An eye-watering 11/1 says Chris Hughton’s band of off-song Canaries will suffer a spectacular fall from grace in the second half of the campaign and return to the Football League with their tail between their legs.
With no win in five Premier League outings – a run that includes four defeats and an uninspiring goalless draw with a Newcastle side in far worse shape than themselves – alarm bells should be ringing at Carrow Road and Norwich only need look at Blackpool’s post-Christmas demise in the 2010-11 season to see how things can quickly go wrong in the top-flight.
The plucky Tangerines achieved way beyond their means during the first half of their maiden voyage into the tumultuous waters of the Premier League with a squad only slightly inferior to Norwich’s in terms of ability and, at this stage of the year, they were sitting comfortably in 10th with a six-point cushion between themselves and the drop-zone, with a game in hand to boot.
They were then befouled by an implosion of biblical proportions that saw them fail to win all but two of their remaining 18 games – final-day relegation ensued by the agonising margin of a solitary point.
The distance between the Canaries and the Premier League ejector seat is only one point greater than that which Blackpool boasted and, while Hughton’s men are much more defensively astute than the Tangerines were, anyone assuming safety is a formality is a reckless individual indeed.
Their next league games see them travel to Liverpool and entertain Tottenham before making the trip to Loftus road to face a revitalised QPR side who will have the game earmarked as a must win in their own battle for survival.
Away days at Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City and Stoke are all to come as well and, with only one victory on the road all season, their strong home form must be maintained lest they find themselves in real trouble.
Five wins will almost definitely see them safe but, with potential for such a wallet-fattening profit, Norwich’s relegation must hold some appeal given their current foul form.
All odds and markets accurate as of publication’s time and date