In the words of The Beatles front man Paul McCartney, "The mood is right, the spirit's up", and football is here on Boxing Day, with countless fans across the country nursing the post-Christmas celebrations with trips up and down the country for the beautiful game.
For the struggling Canaries, who find themselves 13th in the league standings, there will be optimism within the camp to turn around the rut of form Johannes Hoff Thorup's men are struggling through, with Norwich dropping a massive 21 points from winning positions this season, succumbing to a 2-1 defeat against high-performing Sunderland in Tyneside.
Speaking to club media ahead of the clash, Hoff Thorup said: "It bites us in the ass". This humorous jab in reflection on the past two fixtures, recently-relegated Burnley and the Black Cats highlighted the strong performance shown in the first half from the Canaries, but the lacklustre in the second constantly causes Norwich to concede goals; taking points with them. The young Danish manager feels his side need to improve in those difficult moments, and the home clash with the Lions will provide the perfect opportunity to display that commitment to the fans.
Millwall, currently under the interim stewardship of David Livermore, after club legend Neil Harris stepped down following a second period of stewardship at the club, currently occupy 10th spot in the league, and will be looking to build on a strong patch of form that saw the Lions climb within the playoff positions, looking to end a seven-year spell within the second-flight of English football.
The return of key figures within the Millwall dressing room provides ample opportunity for Livermore to rotate the squad where required, with clashes against Coventry City and Oxford United in the run-up to New Years.
Team News
Hoff Thorup confirmed on Christmas Eve (Tuesday, December 24) that prolific striker Josh Sargent will remain unavailable for the rest of 2024, with the American in the very early stages of his return to action following knee surgery earlier in the season.
With Scotland international Angus Gunn also cleared for action following an FA investigation over misconduct against Queen's Park Rangers earlier in the season, the Norwich head coach will feel like Christmas came early, with the first-choice in between the posts only receiving a £4,500 fine.
Livermore will have the services of young Serbian forward Mihailo Ivanovic, following his match winning goal against Blackburn Rovers against the Canaries.
Key quintet Jake Cooper, Danny McNamara, Calum Scanlon, Dan Kelly and Josh Coburn will all be unavailable for the trip to NR1, which will force Livermore into plenty of changes ahead of this crucial mid-table clash.
Likely Lineups
Norwich: Gunn; Stacey, Duffy, Doyle, Chrisene; Marcondes, Nunez, Slimane; Hernandez, Sainz, Crnac (4-3-3).
Millwall: Jensen; Leonard, Tanganga, Wallace, Bryan; Saville, Norre; Azeez, Esse, Emakhu; Ivanovic (4-2-3-1)
Key Players
Signing for Norwich from Polish side Raków Częstochowa in the summer transfer window, the English leagues proved a tough challenge for the young 21-year-old Croatian forward, highly rated as a future prodigy for the European country.
Having been utilised on the right-wing up until Sargent's knee surgery, Crnac proved his talent when given the opportunity starting as the number nine, scoring a brace and recording an assist against Luton Town in front of the home supporters.
Having struggled recently to continue that strong attacking form, the Lions provide ample opportunity for the young forward to shine against a weakened defence struggling from injury and illness within the East London camp.
A former product of the Tottenham Hotspur academy, Tanganga fell out of favour in North London amid the arrival of Australian manager Ange Postecoglou, and after a successful loan spell with the Lions in the backend of last season, opted to make the move permanent as a free agent.
Playing as a centre-back, the 25-year-old Englishman has scored two goals in 18 matches in the Championship, and brings a strong bank of knowledge from his time playing for an elite Premier League side. Ranking in the top 10% of defenders for goals scored, and with Hoff Thorup admitting Norwich are weak at defending set pieces at the moment, Tanganga could be poised to notch a third goal to his tally this season.
The defender scored his first goal in front of the home supporters in The Den, against former Norwich manager Daniel Farke's Leeds United; with his second coming on the road against a high-flying Oxford. It is safe to say that with the right conditions, Japhet may pose a challenge for the Canaries defence.
Match Details
Where is the game being played?
The game will be played at Carrow Road, the home of the Canaries since 1935.
What time is kick-off?
Kick-off is at 15:00 GMT on Thursday, December 26 (Boxing Day).
Will the game be televised?
Due to broadcasting regulations, the fixture will not be available for broadcast to UK viewers, with the best way to follow all the live action being through official club channels. Match highlights will be published within 24 hours of the full-time whistle.
