Preview: Barnsley vs. Norwich City - prediction, team news, lineups

Championship winners Norwich City will look to end a sensational campaign with a win as they travel to Barnsley on Saturday.

The Canaries will play Premier League football next season while the Tykes are aiming to join them as they prepare for the playoffs.

Match preview

© Reuters

Norwich secured the league title in style last weekend as they won 4-1 against Reading thanks to a brace from Kieran Dowell, Xavi Quintilla's freekick and Teemu Pukki smashing into an empty net.

It was their 29th victory of the season that has seen them hold top spot since November. Only Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2017-18 and Leicester City in 2013-14 have hit 30 wins in one second tier campaign in the last decade.

The Canaries are unbeaten in their last eight away matches since early February and have only lost four games on the road all season.

Daniel Farke has so far been fairly reluctant to talk too much about the Premier League but believes that the club are "better prepared" to survive in the top flight this time around after they finished bottom of the table last season with just 21 points.

© Reuters

Barnsley were last in the Premier League in 1998, but this is the closest they have come to returning to the promised land since they last competed in the second tier playoffs in 1999-2000.

It has been a remarkable campaign for the Tykes, who only survived relegation to League One on the final day of last season, but they will now compete with Brentford, Bournemouth and Swansea City for the third and final promotion spot.

With their place in the top six already secured, Barnsley lost 2-0 to Preston North End last weekend which Valerien Ismael admitted was "a warning for everyone that we need to refocus".

It was just a third defeat in 20 matches for the South Yorkshire outfit, who have actually only picked up one less point than Norwich since the beginning of February.

The two teams have already met twice this season, in the space of three weeks in January, with both games ending 1-0. Norwich were victorious in the league and then Barnsley knocked the Canaries out of the FA Cup.

Team News

© Reuters

Ismael will demand a response from his team after last weekend's defeat and is unlikely to rest too many players in preparation for the playoffs.

Carlton Morris seems the most likely contender to return to the starting lineup and could take the place of Conor Chaplin in Barnsley's three-pronged attack next to Cauley Woodrow and Daryl Dike.

Dominik Frieser has missed the last two games with a hamstring problem and will be absent again on Saturday, but it is hoped he will be fit for the playoffs.

With the league title secured, Norwich boss Farke may decide to give opportunities to those who have played bit-part roles this season.

Two players who have been crucial to Norwich's success – Pukki and Oliver Skipp – have both been ruled out after picking up injuries against Reading.

It has been confirmed that Alexander Tettey – a three-time promotion winner with the Canaries – is to end his nine-year spell at the club this summer, so he should be given a send off along with Mario Vrancic, who is also departing at the end of his contract.

Barnsley possible starting lineup:
Collins; Sollbauer, Helik, Andersen; Brittain, Palmer, Mowatt, Styles; Woodrow, Morris; Dike

Norwich City possible starting lineup:
Krul; Mumba, Omobamidele, Hanley, Sorensen; Tettey, McLean; Hernandez, Vrancic, Placheta; Hugill

We say: Barnsley 1-0 Norwich City

Norwich's intensity dropped after they won promotion, and it may be the same now they have secured the title. If Farke rotates as expected, then we think Barnsley will earn the points in this one, particularly as the Tykes will be eager to head into the playoffs with a win under their belts.