LIVE TEAM NEWS: Watford v Norwich City

Published: 6:45 PM January 21, 2022

Updated: 7:26 PM January 21, 2022

Norwich City face survival rivals Watford this evening, with Dean Smith making just one change to his starting XI and one change on the bench.

Angus Gunn comes in as expected, after number one Tim Krul suffered shoulder ligament damage.

Kenny McLean returns on the bench after a spell of Covid-19 isolation, taking Todd Cantwell's place on the bench, who is left out as a selection decision.

City know they would move about their opponents and out of the relegation zone if they can follow up last weekend's 2-1 home win over Everton with another victory.

Full-backs Max Aarons (impact injury) and Brandon Williams (cramp) were also forced off late in that game but trained fully and retain their places.

Midfield trio Mathias Normann (pelvis), Billy Gilmour (ankle) and Lukas Rupp (hamstring) are all hoping to return following the two-week 'winter break' as City head to Wolves in the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday, February 5.

Andrew Omobamidele (back) is on the same timeline but fellow centre-back Christoph Zimmermann is set for action this evening back in Norfolk, as the under-23s face Burnley at the Lotus Training Centre.

Watford also brought an end to a run of six successive defeats when Joao Pedro headed a late equaliser to earn a 1-1 draw at Newcastle.

The Hornets are without at nine players, with centre-back William Troost-Ekong (Nigeria), full-back Adam Masina and midfielder Imran Louza (Morocco) away at the Africa Cup of Nations. 

Star winger Ismaila Sarr (knee) and defender Nicolas Nkoulou (hamstring) remain out and midfielder Peter Etebo and young winger Kwadwo Baah are back in training but working their way back to full fitness after injury. 

They are joined by goalkeeper Ben Foster and defender Craig Cathcartt, who miss out through illness.

Three January signings all made their debuts at Newcastle though and all start, with left-back Hassane Kamara signed from Nice for a reported £4m – with Danny Rose out of favour and expected to leave. 

Defensive midfielder Edo Kayemebe was also signed from Belgian side KAS Eupen and Brazilian centre-back Samir from Udinese. 

Their four changes see Daniel Bachmann replace Foster in goal and Christian Kabasele comes in for Cathcartt at centre-back.

Kiko Femenia replaces Jeremey Ngakia at right-back and Tom Cleverley comes into midfield in place of Juraj Kucka.

- You can watch live reaction in the video above

WATFORD (4-3-3): Bachmann; Femenia, Samir, Kabasele, Kamara; Sissoko (C), Kayembe, Cleverley; Dennis, King, Pedro. Subs: Elliot (GK), Ngakia, Sema, Fletcher, Tufan, Hernandez, Sierralta, Kucka, Morris

NORWICH (4-4-2): Gunn; Aarons, Hanley (C), Gibson, Williams; Sargent, Lees-Melou, Sorensen, Rashica; Pukki, Idah. Subs: McGovern (GK), Byram, Kabak, Giannoulis, McLean, Dowell, Placheta, Tzolis, Rowe

REFEREE: Mike Dean

VAR: John Brooks 

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