Stoke City vs Norwich City: Championship Preview, Gameweek 38, 2023

Stoke City’s form has improved over recent weeks after three wins, one draw and one loss in their last five league games.

Alex Neil's men took a point away from high-flying Middlesbrough in midweek, after Ki-Jana Hoever's third strike in two games sealed a 1-1 draw.

The Potters sit 14th in the Championship table.

Norwich have been in similar form after three straight wins, before a loss at Sunderland and a midweek draw at Huddersfield Town restored them to reality.

Gabriel Sara scored the opener as they drew 1-1 in West Yorkshire on Wednesday.

David Wagner's side are just four points off the playoffs in seventh spot.

Team news

Stoke

Former-Norwich boss Neil will have Josh Tymon back available after he sat out of the trip to Middlesbrough with illness.

Phil Jagielka may return to the matchday squad after missing the last two games through injury.

Sam Clucas and Nick Powell remain sidelined through injury.

Norwich

On-loan winger Marquinhos will be available after his midweek red card was overturned by the FA.

Adam Idah and Ben Gibson are likely to miss out after both went off with respective injuries last time out.

Likely lineups

Stoke

Bonham; Hoever, Tuanzebe, Wilmot, Sterling; Pearson, Laurent; Brown, Smallbone, Campbell; Gayle.

Norwich

Gunn; Aarons, Hanley, Omobamidele, Giannoulis; Marquinhos, Sorensen, McLean, Sara; Pukki, Sargent.

Ones to watch

Will Smallbone

The on-loan Southampton midfielder joined Stoke with expectations of a breakthrough season in Staffordshire, after an ACL injury in 2021 disrupted his progress into the Saints first-team to just 20 appearances in three seasons - but his first-half of the season was a disappointment as he found the tenacity of the league tough to adapt to.

Embed from Getty Images

The 22-year-old's form since the turn of the year has seen him pick up the club's February Player of the Month award and become one of Neil's most important players with his high-pressing, energetic style ideal to the way City want to play.

His recent performances have seen him rewarded with a call-up to the Republic of Ireland squad, with a debut likely to follow. He has two goals and four assists in 37 games this season.

Gabriel Sara

23-year-old Sara is a jack-of-all-trades across the midfield, and has been one of the Canaries' shining lights in a dim season relative to fans' expectations. He joined Norwich from Sao Paulo last summer after coming through their academy and making 113 appearances for his boyhood club, scoring 17 goals.

Embed from Getty Images

Mainly used as an attacking midfielder under Wagner, he has chipped in with six goals and four assists in 34 games across all competitions this season - with three goals and one assist in his last four outings.