Norwich City welcome Millwall to Carrow Road on Saturday, as both sides look to begin their Championship campaigns on a positive note. Norwich had a mixed pre-season results-wise, beating NAC (2-0), drawing Den Haag (0-0) and losing to NAC (1-0) and Olympiacos (3-0). With Liam Manning (who did a fine job at Bristol City) now in charge, the Canaries are under a new manager and given how many players they've brought in, they'll be quite a new look outfit this season.
As things currently stand, Norwich have retained the services of striker Josh Sargent, and should he remain at the club beyond the end of this month, they'll feel as though they've got a striker who guarantees close to 20 goals a season (fitness permitting).
Norwich will be hoping to rely on their strong home record against Millwall, having stayed unbeaten in their last 20 league meetings at Carrow Road.
Millwall approach this match in good form, coming off a strong pre-season with four wins from four matches. Under Alex Neil, they have built a compact side with a focus on organisation and quick transitions. Their 3-1 win over Norwich back in April will give them some confidence coming into this game, although they will know that playing away at Norwich will require them to be very efficient in their transitions.
The Lions have done some good business this summer, bringing in striker Josh Coburn on a permanent deal after a solid loan spell last season, supplemented by the signing of Alfie Doughty, who they hope will be of great service to Coburn. Millwall scored only 47 goals in 46 games last season, despite finishing 8th, so it's clear where the team need to improve. The personnel is strong, so Alex Neil has little excuse.
Although Norwich finished below Millwall last season, they're considered slight favourites due to home advantage, past head-to-head results - having won four of the last six head-to-head meetings - and more game changers in their squad. This game should be competitive, but Norwich have all the necessary ingredients to get the job done.
Norwich 2-1 Millwall
