Norwich City

Norwich City's Tony Springett believes "the sky's the limit" for Jovon Makama following the striker's latest goal in the 1-1 draw at Preston North End.

It was Makama's seventh goal since arriving from Lincoln City in the summer and made him Norwich's joint-top scorer with Josh Sargent.

"He can create something out of nothing. I'm proud of him, he's doing well. He's one of my close mates, I'm over the moon for him. He's a good lad, fitted in with the group well, as soon as he came everyone loved him," Springett told BBC Radio Norfolk.

"He's got good energy, trains hard and has still got another level to get to, I think, the sky's the limit with him. If he keeps working hard, keeps scoring, you don't know what could happen for him."

Winger Springett, meanwhile, said he was "overwhelmed" to have played four games this month - including a start against Watford - after 18 months out with a back injury, which required spinal surgery.

"It's definitely been the hardest time of my life, but I had some really close people around me keeping my spirits high," he said.

"I didn't want anyone feeling sorry for me, I kept it quiet and worked my hardest to get back involved and it's worked out for me."

Springett was pressed into service at left-back against Watford on 6 December because of other injuries in the squad.

"I love this club and if I'm needed to play left-back, right-back, anywhere on the pitch, I'll do a job," he added.

Image source, Getty Images

Norwich City head coach Philippe Clement felt his side were "unlucky" to concede a late equaliser against Preston North End.

He told BBC Radio Norfolk: "Coming here against Preston, third in the league and a hard place to come, and showing this on the pitch, for 90 minutes with good organisation and good moments on the ball, and a really good goal makes it hard to lose two important points in the dying seconds.

"But [in terms of] mentality I can't say anything against my team, it was a really good performance.

"Vlad [Kovacevic] didn't have to make many saves and was really good in a few moments with high crosses and coming to help the defence.

"In the last action, I think we can do better with a few players and can keep the ball better in front, like we did against Southampton, but it's really unlucky that we lost these two points."

Norwich are next in action at home to Charlton on Boxing Day.

Phil Daley
Sports Editor, BBC Norfolk

Norwich City head coach Philippe Clement has spoken to the media ahead of their trip to Preston in the Championship (12:30 GMT).

Norwich are in the relegation zone, three points adrift of safety.

Here are some of the key points:

• Josh Sargent has been training but requires further assessment before Saturday's game.

• Mathias Kvistgaarden is having his load "managed" during training due to a knee injury, but will be available.

• Jack Stacey returned to full training after a hamstring injury and will travel to Deepdale.

• Clement praised Jacob Wright's intelligence in training and says he's been impressed with the midfielder since being asked to play behind the strikers.

• On Preston, Clement says he's aware of their defensive qualities, but also how aggressive they are all over the pitch. "They deserve to be where they are. We dream of being in the top three."

You can listen to full live commentary of Preston v Norwich City with BBC Radio Norfolk on FM and DAB from 12:00 on Saturday.

Listen to the full interview with Clement and more Norwich City content on BBC Sounds.

23rd placed Norwich City will look to defy the odds and make the ascent up the table under new boss Philippe Clement as they visit third placed Preston North End.

The Canaries have only lost two of their six games under Clement (W2 D2) compared to five defeats in their previous six under former boss Liam Manning.

It's put them within striking distance of safety but North End have one of the toughest defences in the Championship and have not conceded a loss in five games (W2 D3).

With Stoke City lingering just outside the top six, the Lilywhites will need to ensure they extend that run into a sixth game to ensure they stay within the play-off spots.

• Preston won 1-0 in their last league game against Norwich in February, last winning back-to-back meetings with the Canaries in April 2006.

• Norwich have lost just one of their last eight away league games against Preston (W4 D3), and are unbeaten in four since a 3-1 loss in February 2019.

• Since losing their final two home matches in the Championship last season, Preston North End have only lost two of their 11 league games at Deepdale this term (W5 D4 L2).

• After beating Southampton last time out, Norwich will be aiming to win consecutive league matches for the first time since February (5-1 v Swansea and 1-0 v Watford).

• Preston North End striker Daniel Jebbison has scored five goals in his last seven Championship starts, after only netting once in his first 11 starts in the competition (for Sheffield United v Hull City in January 2023).

Image source, Getty Images

Jovon Makama told BBC Radio Norfolk after his controversial winner against Southampton:

"A goal is a goal. It went in and I ran away and celebrated. I can't quite remember how it went in.

"It (VAR) can stay away for now!

"It has been an incredibly tough start to the season and it's such a nice feeling to come away smiling.

"That's two home wins in a row now and I think we needed it so much just as a team and for the fans as well and the club as a whole.

"They've been in really good form but it just goes to show how good a team we are when we are aggressive, when we go after it and really put our bodies on the line. That's what we did from minute one today.

"You can see just how it means to the boys to give something to cheer about and ourselves something to be happy about.

"As a team we are really getting together and working hard for each other.

"Every performance we are fighting more and more."

Rob Butler
BBC Radio Norfolk Canary Call, presenter

Image source, Getty Images

Norwich City's top goalscorer Josh Sargent will miss the Championship game against Southampton at Carrow Road on Saturday due to concussion protocol.

Sargent, who has scored six league goals so far this season, was withdrawn during Tuesday's 1-1 draw at Sheffield United after suffering a blow to the head.

Canaries head coach Philippe Clement has been speaking to the media before the match with his side five points adrift of safety.

Here are some of the other key points:

• Kenny McLean is "doubtful" for Saturday after he came off at Bramall Lane with a hip problem.

• Forward Mathias Kvistgaarden's knee injury is still being assessed. Clement said he could be involved against Southampton.

• "I cannot ask for more at the moment," Clement said, adding that his players are responding well to his training plans.

• Clement said he's aware that standards need to rise as City look to avoid relegation: "It's raising bars for many people, players and staff."

• The Canaries are on a run of playing the form teams in the division, said Clement, and the Saints will pose a "huge test".

You can listen to full live commentary of Norwich v Southampton with BBC Radio Norfolk on FM and DAB. Coverage begins at 14:00 GMT on Saturday, 13 December.

Norwich City will be looking to boost their Championship survival hopes when they welcome an in-form Southampton on Saturday (12:30 GMT).

The Canaries are five points adrift of safety and have just one win in their past 16 matches, but have improved since head coach Philippe Clement took over, with that victory and two draws from his first five league games in charge (L2).

The Saints have won six of their past seven (L1) under Tonda Eckert, climbing from 21st to ninth and are now just within a point of the play-off places.

• Norwich City have won just one of their past six league games against Southampton (D2 L3), a 2-1 win in November 2021.

• Southampton have won one of their past six league visits to Norwich (D2 L3), a 3-0 win in June 2020 in the Premier League.

• Norwich ended an eight game winless league run at Carrow Road with a 3-1 win over QPR in November. They last secured consecutive home league wins in January this year.

• Southampton are on a run of 20 away league games without a clean sheet, last registering one in a 0-0 draw at Fulham in December 2024. They last had a longer stretch without a shutout on the road between March 2009 and February 2010 (21) – which was ended by a 2-0 win at Carrow Road against Norwich.

• Southampton's Adam Armstrong has had a hand in four goals in his three league games against Norwich for the Saints (3 goals, 1 assist), assisting (November 2021) and scoring (January 2024) in his two games at Carrow Road in that run.

Norwich City boss Philippe Clement spoke to BBC Radio Norfolk after his side's 1-1 draw at Sheffield United.

"I think we should have won the game. If you come alone in front of the goalkeeper in the last 10 minutes you need to kill it off and you have a victory," he said.

"You have games where the opponent is better and you struggle and fight and you get a point and yet you are very satisfied. It was not that kind of game.

"I would not say it is two lost points because I am proud of what the players brought but it could have been better.

"I think four or five weeks ago they would have lost this game with losing important players and going behind."

Image source, Getty Images

The FA Cup third round draw was made on Monday evening, with all 24 Championship clubs entering at this stage of the competition.

Ties will take place between Thursday, 8 January and Monday, 12 January.

These are the ties involving Championship clubs:

• Cambridge United v Birmingham City

• Hull City v Blackburn Rovers

• Bristol City v Watford

• Charlton Athletic v Chelsea

• Stoke City v Coventry

• Derby County v Leeds United

• Ipswich Town v Blackpool

• Cheltenham Town v Leicester City

• Fulham v Middlesbrough

• Burnley v Millwall

• Norwich City v Walsall

• MK Dons v Oxford United

• Portsmouth v Arsenal

• Preston North End v Wigan Athletic

• West Ham United v Queens Park Rangers

• Sheffield United v Mansfield Town

• Sheffield Wednesday v Brentford

• Doncaster Rovers v Southampton

• Swansea City v West Bromwich Albion

• Wrexham v Nottingham Forest

You can see the full draw here.

Image source, Opta

Sheffield United will seek to continue their resurgence when second-bottom Norwich visit Bramall Lane on Tuesday (19:45 GMT).

The Blades have won four straight games, scoring 13 goals and keeping three clean sheets to climb up to 18th, just eight points behind sixth-placed Stoke, whom they beat 4-0 at home on Saturday.

Norwich are now nine points behind them and five short of safety after allowing a lead to slip to a 3-2 defeat at Watford on Saturday and have now taken a single point from their past six away games.

• Sheffield United are unbeaten in their past nine league games against Norwich (W6 D3) since a 1-0 home loss in September 2017.

• Norwich haven't kept a clean sheet in any of their past nine league games against Sheffield United, though they haven't conceded more than twice in any of their past 21 against the Blades.

• Sheffield United have alternated between defeat (2) and victory (2) in their four midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) Championship games this season, beating Portsmouth 3-0 last time out.

• Norwich are winless in their past eight midweek (Tues, Weds, Thurs) Championship games (D3 L5) since a 1-0 win at Luton on New Year's Day.

• Sheffield United's Patrick Bamford has scored three goals in five home league games against Norwich, averaging a goal every 82 minutes at home against the Canaries.

Image source, Shutterstock

Former Norwich City defender Leon Barnett believes a manager with a "fear factor" can be a positive thing in a dressing room.

Head coach Philippe Clement has already proven to be a no-nonsense character since his appointment last month and the Canaries achieved their first home win of the season against QPR in his third game in charge.

They remain next to bottom of the Championship though, following Saturday's 3-2 loss at Watford, a game in which they twice held the lead.

"I think that can have an effect on the squad; you want to work hard and you don't want to put a foot wrong. I think that sort of fear factor runs through the whole team and it's probably a nice thing to have," Barnett told BBC Radio Norfolk's Canary Call.

"I remember I had it when Paul Lambert came in and said 'Take your earrings out'. I laughed it off, sat down and thought he was joking.

"He came back to me and said 'what did I tell you?' I felt like a little boy and took my earrings out. It gives you that fear factor and makes you play under a bit of pressure as well.

"I'm not one to argue. If a manager says something I'll try and do it. It was nothing personal and wasn't going to hurt me. There are plenty of things - some managers don't want you wearing hats and gloves when it's cold. If it's the same for everyone, then why not?"

Norwich are away to Sheffield United, who have won their last four games and scored 13 goals in the process, on Tuesday.

Watch the post-Watford episode of Canary Call by clicking here.

Image source, Getty Images

Canaries boss Philippe Clement believes Norwich's uplift since he took charge is being hamstrung by a need to tighten up at the back.

Norwich, who have kept just one clean sheet all season, led twice at Watford only to fall to a 3-2 defeat which leaves them still in deep trouble second from bottom of the Championship.

"We had more chances than Watford so then it's really disappointing that you go home without points," said the Belgian.

"But also with the goals against. Some individual players need to do better in those situations. We gave at least two goals away too easily where we can defend much better.

"As a team and as individuals we need to learn certain principles better."

Clement, who gave Tony Springett his first start for the club in two years in the Canaries' revolving door position of left-back, admitted Norwich's defensive cause is not being helped by their injury list.

"We're missing six or seven defenders so not one team in the world would not struggle with that," he said.