Boro v Norwich City – Saturday 31st January – 15:00 (GMT)
I am not any good at writing fiction, so I go directly to Monday’s game at Norwich.
Norwich were above the relegation zone for the first time for three months after last weekend. They also had the second worst home record in the league before the match against league leaders Coventry City on Monday.
The Canaries lined up in 4-2-3-1 formation like Carrick used to do at the Boro. After a few stray passes in the beginning, they started to take hold of the game against Coventry. In the 26th minute, centre back Córdoba hit the post after a corner, but Coventry survived.
Norwich had some problems occasionally passing the ball out from their own penalty like Boro had last season. But generally, they were the better side in the first half. But Coventry showed they quality with the opening goal on 37th minute – Esse hit the lower corner with a thunderbolt after two Norwich defenders had scrambled with ball first.
But the Canaries came out strongly in the second half – they equalized in 40 seconds with a goal from Ben Slimane. He rounded the keeper after a super pass from Ali Ahmed inside the penalty area. Frank Lambart was shocked in the away dugout!
Again, against the play, Coventry nearly scored but young Norwich right back Kellen Fisher ran quickly and cleared the ball from the goal line in 51 min. Mind, he was also dangerous in going forward.
Coventry concentrated on counter attacks, but then the Canaries took the ball away from the centre circle from a sky-blue defender and Ahmed scored the winning goal in the 67th minute. But Norwich saw the match out reasonably easily – the central defenders Córdoba and Ruairi McConville were like rocks. My MoM award went to the former.
After the Carrow Road tussle, Coventry are just three points above Boro, and Norwich are now four points above the relegation zone. They are 18th in the table now.
New Manager(s)
Norwich City appointed 51-year-old Belgian Philippe Clement as their new head coach on November 18, 2025, signing a contract until the summer of 2029. Replacing Liam Manning, Clement brings significant experience from Club Brugge, Genk, AS Monaco, and Rangers to lift the side out of the Championship relegation zone. He started about a week before Kim Hellberg joined the Boro.
Dom Shaw of the Echo has completed the Championship table since Hellberg’s appointment (I added the results of this weekend):
| Pos Team | Pl. | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| 1. Boro | 12 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 25 |
| 2. Hull | 11 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 25 |
| 3. Ipswich | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 23 |
| 4. Norwich | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 23 |
| 8. Coventry | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 18 |
It’s interesting to notice that Hull have played as well as Boro since Hellberg moved to the UK (Hull with a game less). And as we all have noticed the climb that Ipswich has made – they were above Boro just a week ago.
But the most notable is the form of Norwich since Clement took over. More recently, they have won FOUR matches in a row, if we include their 5-1 home win over Walsall in the FA Cup 3rd round. And worryingly for Boro, the Canaries won 0-5 at West Bromwich Albion in their most recent away match.
In the Championship Current Form Table – AWAY, Boro are second after Hull on 12 points. But Norwich are no mugs either as they are third 11 points (W3, D2, L1). If we look Boro’s home form, we are just 5th with 13 points (W4, D1, L1) and Norwich are 8th with four wins and two defeats. Naturally, we won our last two home games by 4-0 each, though.
All in all, this fixture will be tough for both teams. Naturally Boro have the home advantage, but Norwich has been better on the road than at home.
Also, Boro will be resting for two more days as the Preston match was played on Saturday and Norwich played Coventry on Monday evening. So there are nearly two and half days more to prepare.
Some Norwich players
Norwich will be missing their best striker again on Saturday. It is reported that striker Josh Sargent has played his last game for the club following a heated meeting with sporting director Ben Knapper and head coach Philippe Clement. The 25-year-old USA international wants a return to North America to join Toronto FC. The American was missing from the FA Cup match without permission and has not played since.
Norwich City forward Jovon Makama hopes the goals "keep coming" after reaching double figures with his first hat-trick for the club. The 21-year-old's treble led the Canaries to a 5-1 win over League Two side Walsall in the third round of the FA Cup. In all he has scored 10 goals in 26 league matches this season.
An hour before the opening day of the 2025–26 season, Lincoln confirmed they had accepted a bid from an unnamed Championship club and Makama would be left out of the match day squad. On 4 August 2025, he joined Norwich City on a three-year contract with a two-year option for a fee of £1.2 million. He was born in Nottingham in February 2004.
Norwich City have a fresh energy under boss Philippe Clement, according to midfielder Anis Ben Slimane. Slimane had injury issues at the start of the season and struggled to get in the squad under previous head coach Liam Manning and the Tunisian is grateful for the chance handed to him by Clement. He has been superb in the number 10 position lately.
Last weekend, Norwich signed teenage defender Harry Amass on loan from Manchester United until the end of the season. The 18-year-old has been on loan with City's Championship rivals Sheffield Wednesday since the start of this campaign, playing 21 times for the Owls. He came on as a sub against Coventry on Monday.
Norwich City have also paid an undisclosed fee to Premier League club Brentford for midfielder Paris Maghoma. The 24-year-old has agreed a three-and-a-half-year contract at Carrow Road, and his arrival follows the signings of winger Ali Ahmed and full-back Harry Amass. He was still a spectator in the match on Monday but could play at Boro.
One of the stand out players against Coventry was winger Ali Ahmed. He was signed from Major League Soccer side Vancouver Whitecaps for an undisclosed fee. The 25-year-old Canada international scored for the Whitecaps in the 2025 MLS Cup - a match they eventually lost 3-1 to Sir David Beckham's Inter Miami.
He was the first signing by the Canaries since Philippe Clement was appointed as head coach in November and has agreed a three-and-a-half-year contract, with an option for a further 12 months.
What will happen on the Riverside on Saturday?
I know it won’t be a Pukki Party, though. The former Norwich striker played at HJK in Helsinki last season. Towards the end of the year 2025, he also played his last match for the Finnish National team.
Boro have new injury problems as Kieran Scott needed an urgent operation. But luckily his deputy, Chris Jones has taken over and Boro have added yet another player to the roster in January. On Tuesday, left-winger Jeremy Sarmiento joined the Boro from Brighton. Even the right-footed attacker is just 23, he has played for Ecuador in the World Cup in Qatar. And won two promotions already from the Championship.
The result is difficult to predict as the two form teams are meeting at the Riverside. The new Boro norm seems to be a 4-0 win at home. But remember the Canaries have won four matches in a row, too.
I will go for a 2-0 win with Conway and Castledine scoring.
Below is the Norwich lineup against Coventry on Monday.
DELANO BURGZORG'S move to Bristol City is back on after a fresh transfer twist, with the forward now set to leave Middlesbrough this month.
It's understood Burgzorg will join the Robins on a loan deal until the end of the season.
Burgzorg looked set to join City earlier this month, with Gerhard Struber admitting a deal was "close".
But Boro then made the decision to keep the 27-year-old, with Kim Hellberg and the recruitment team keen to ensure they didn't leave themselves short in the second half of the season.
But Boro then made a breakthrough in their pursuit of Jeremy Sarmiento, who has today completed his move from Brighton. That's an initial loan but will be made permanent in the summer for £3.2m.
RECOMMENDED READING:
The 'wonderkid' who turned down Barcelona & was Kim Hellberg's first choice signing
Jeremy Sarmiento Middlesbrough transfer details & winger's reaction to move he craved
Frank Lampard offers Middlesbrough extra encouragement with Coventry admission
Burgzorg has featured in all but one of the Championship games since Hellberg's appointment as head coach, but has only made four starts.
He was the hero at West Brom when he came off the bench to score a last minute winner, but had to once again settle for a role as a substitute in the games against Stoke City and Preston.
Leo Castledine was preferred to Burgzorg in the starting XI against Preston at the weekend, Sarmiento has now strengthened the attack and Riley McGree was back in the squad against North End after recovering from his injury.
Boro also have to offload senior players this month as they look to create space in their 25-man EFL squad for Sarmiento, Adilson Malanda and any further signings. The squad was maxed out in the first half of the season.
Seny Dieng is available to leave this month, while Micah Hamilton is also surplus to requirements and would benefit from regular football elsewhere.
Reviving the Burgzorg deal will delight City boss Struber, who told of his "deep disappointment" last week after thinking he'd missed out on the former Huddersfield forward.
He said: "It's a shame but it's not always in our hands.
"We were super close, everything was negotiated in a really good way but we get the stop signs from Middlesbrough.
"That's the reality in our world so I am not happy with that. Really disappointed, especially when you invest so much time with a player and convince this player to jump out maybe from a promotion club to us and I am really disappointed that we don't finalise this transfer."
Sarmiento followed Castledine and Fin Munroe through the door at the Riverside.
Boro remain active in their search for a centre-forward this month. Recruitment chiefs won't panic and won't sign a striker for the sake of it - with Boro having scored 13 goals in their last four Championship games - but remain very much interested in further strengthening their forward line if possible.
Boro have today been linked with a move for Lassine Sinayoko. It's understood the Auxerre forward is a player Boro have watched but not with a move this month in mind. He's a potential longer-term target who Boro will continue to monitor.
Jarrko
Great preview I really enjoyed that well done !
OFB
@original-fat-bob Thanks, mate. I hope you are OK and your health is improving now.
Any plans to go to Riverside yet? Up the Boro!
It was good to read your Match Preview, Jarkko, and I hope things are OK for you in Finland. Thanks for the information in the piece you posted. Clearly Norwich is a team currently performing well.
Hopefully Boro can bring a temporary halt to that on Saturday.
The weather near Teesside today is drizzly from grey skies (though the view from my bedroom skylight shows more blue to the North than I had expected) and 7C. It is forecast to be very similar by the time of kick-off against Norwich..
According to the BBC Weather App, you in the "frozen North" are currently basking in temperatures that would certainly keep me inside. A frigid -10C today and forecast to be the same in Helsinki at about the time we kick off in Middlesbrough on Saturday. The dry weather in Helsinki will compensate the 17C difference in temperatures between Boro's temperate maritime winter weather and your near-Arctic version. On Teesside everything would be brought to a halt if we had similar weather to you on Saturday! Wrap up warm up there (apart from little runs to the lake or to into the snow from your sauna!).
@forever-dormo All Ok here. It has been around -8 and -10 for a few days, but not too much of snow - perhaps 15 to 20 cm. We would certainly like a bit more. Now we can ski (I mean cross country that was done also in the North Yorkshire moors in 1950's) only in places where we have artificial snow available, too. When the temperatures are below zero, we have some "guns" sprying water that freezes immediately.
I am back to work today after some holidays since Christmas time. And after Friday, I will retire.
So the Norwich match is the first match I will see as a pensioner (or technically I retire on Sunday). Let's hope Boro give me a present and win!
Up the Boro!
Ey up! What's going on here? The sun is shining? Very definite sunny intervals outside just now. Is it Spring...?
@jarkko - A happy retirement to you, Jarkko. Just a few days to go!
Thanks Jarkko for bringing us up to date on Norwich. Your opener is very well written and organised, a reflection of the amount of thought and work that you have put in for our benefit and enjoyment, so congratulations and many thanks.
I'm more excited than most appear to be by Sarmiento, who has put us to the sword a couple of times as an impact sub. He will need to get up to speed after his unfortunate experience in Italy, but he is a very exciting prospect and will give us pace and dribbling skills that we currently lack in wide areas. I hope that he will quickly become a firm crowd favourite.
I said a few weeks back that though Norwich were firmly entrenched in the relegation zone, they were beginning to play well as their early season signings were beginning to bed in. It's a process that the Boro have become all too familiar with over the past few seasons, since Scott was appointed to implement the Norwich model of signing hidden gems, developing them and selling them on.
It has only by beginning to break with that model and signing experienced pros like Ayling, Targett, Browne, Brittain, and Jones, alongside academy graduates, Fry, Hackney and Brynn that Boro have begun to look like genuine promotion prospects. By contrast, the products of the clubs' model, Hansen, Sane, Nypan, Kante, Hamilton, and even Strelek, all lacking previous Championship experience, have scarcely made an impact so far this season, whilst Silvera and Burgzorg, whilst improving have still been peripheral figures
So i think we will be in for an entertaining game on Saturday between two in form sides. Norwich's style of play, building up from the back should suit us down to the ground, as it did in our first meeting at Norwich. They outplayed us for most of the first half but we went in 0-2 up at the interval as we stole the ball from them with a high press in dangerous situations. I think that pattern is likely to be repeated on Saturday. My unusual degree of confidence may be entirely misplaced, but I think we will win this one in a high scoring game. 5-2 to us.
Thank you Jarkko, that was a very comprehensive survey of the opposition we will face on Saturday.
I hope we can get a win, but Norwich are riding high at the moment and will come with a young side full of confidence. The first goal may decide it.
If we can maintain our small advantage (allowing for Ipswich's game in hand) over third place going into the February fixtures then we give ourselves a chance of maintaining second spot during the course of February. We have tough games against Coventry, Sheffield United and Leicester, but the Tractor Boys have four consecutive matches away from home in February.
Happy retirement.
UTB
That is a great Headliner Jarkko with lots of current information of the Norwich team and their impressive improvement under new Coach Clement.
Looking at the players squad numbers, most of them high, there appears to have been a big turnover since the beginning of the season of the players in the first team.
So another tough game, another “must win” to maintain our second position. We need another stellar performance from Hellberg and his squad.
That is even more optimistic than OFB! 5-2 to us.What have you been drinking this morning?So i think we will be in for an entertaining game on Saturday between two in form sides. Norwich's style of play, building up from the back should suit us down to the ground, as it did in our first meeting at Norwich. They outplayed us for most of the first half but we went in 0-2 up at the interval as we stole the ball from them with a high press in dangerous situations. I think that pattern is likely to be repeated on Saturday. My unusual degree of confidence may be entirely misplaced, but I think we will win this one in a high scoring game. 5-2 to us.
Thanks you, Len for the feedback. Also, thanks for every one. For me this is practising my English. I know there are some mistakes in spelling and grammar, but let it be. I love this blog.
Up the Boro!
Thanks Jarkko - very enjoyable opener.
Blow me down! Without wishing to hijack this into a weather blog, and despite the sun shining as set out in my previous post, a mist has set in, and it has now deepened into a fog. All the seasons within a few hours!
It is actually 2C outside, whatever the forecast suggested. All we need now is snow and hail and driving winds to complete the set. If, after that, we get a shower of frogs and a solar eclipse (if we could only SEE the sun at present) we will know something is afoot.
At least the football will give us a warm glow.
Thanks for another great and very informative opener @jarkko. You have perfectly captured that this has the potential to be a very tricky encounter.
I caught the second half of the game on Monday night and Norwich certainly impressed. They looked comfortable with the ball, moving it rapidly and mostly with accuracy in the middle of the park. They also were quite effective playing through Coventry’s lines and especially it seemed on the left. When it came to the final decision making though, I thought they resembled a Boro we were getting familiar with in that they often made the wrong choice for the final ball or attempt on goal or just took one too many touches. So, while defensively we will need to be alert on Saturday, we should be able to cope.
Out of possession I was expecting to see the Canaries press Coventry much more aggressively and in greater numbers than they did. At times it looked that when Coventry had possession they had the time to dictate the play they wanted and it has to be said that Norwich certainly rode their luck at the back and on another day they might have conceded at least one more, but probably two from the chances Coventry created. So, I expect that we will be able to create good goal-scoring opportunities on Saturday. I wasn’t wholly convinced by their keeper Kovačević, so I hope that we are able to put him under a lot of pressure.
Like other’s have already commented, Norwich’s inclination to play football should play into our hands. Certainly Coventry were failing to press Norwich quickly on the ball in the same way or the same numbers as we didn’t allow Preston any time in the first half on Saturday. So I hope we will be able to turn over possession from Norwich much more effectively than Coventry didn’t.
I am making the pilgrimage down across the border to the Riverside on Saturday with my son and heir, meeting up with my kid brother coming up from Leeds and my nephew heading in from the Dales. I am hoping for a more competitive game to enjoy than the one on Saturday, but still one in which we will come away with all three points. I can’t be as extravagant in my prediction as others, but I hope for a clean sheet and victory by two clear goals.
P.S. Congratulations on reaching retirement Jarkko. I am as green with envy as Norwich City's shorts. I hope (and I am sure) you will have plenty of interesting things to keep you active.
Happy retirement buddy enjoy the best years of your life to come !
Mrs OFB and I plan to go to the game and we have seats with only a few stairs to climb so I should be ok. It’s only 4 weeks since I had the operation so it’s early days yet and too soon to see if it’s going to be a success.
They may have to do another artery using a coronary graft but age is against me so they are assessing the situation.
Many thanks for asking it’s so nice to have friends all over the world on this blog.
BORO3 Norwich 0
OFB
Best wishes on your retirement, Jarkko. You will have a great time. I haven't regretted a single day.
And hope you enjoy the game, Bob. Be careful on those stairs. They are the biggest single problem I have in attending games. It does look as though it will be a very attractive match.
@lenmasterman - As I may have said to Jarkko previously (I think): "Nobody on their death bed has ever been heard to say that they wished they had spent more time in the office."
Just catching up after a flight back to UK for a family funeral tomorrow.
Thank you Jarkko for a very well written and informative piece on NC.
I only managed to watch the last 20 mins of their game against Coventry from which I gleaned that they will be worthy opponents on Saturday and no pushovers.
I would even go as far as saying that this could be a potential banana skin if we let our standards drop. Hopefully not and it turns out that mystic Len is correct.
Congratulations on your forthcoming retirement. I can confirm having worked for 40 years for one organisation, which seemed at the time to dominate much of my life, that one I reached the retired land I have never looked back and have thoroughly enjoyed my retirement and hope very much that you will too. 😎
🚨 Middlesbrough are reportedly in discussions with Southampton over a potential move for Adam Armstrong, with the striker keen on a return to the north-east.
A deal worth around £10m is understood to be under consideration.
#boro
OFBq
if they are willing to give us £10m for us to take him, I would bite their hands off ... 🙄🚨 Middlesbrough are reportedly in discussions with Southampton over a potential move for Adam Armstrong, with the striker keen on a return to the north-east.
A deal worth around £10m is understood to be under consideration.
#boroOFBq
Thanks for the opener Jarkko - your grasp of English is very impressive - don’t think I know any words in Finnish - I can mange “one beer please” in a fair few languages!
Thanks for the comprehensive review of Norwich and as others have said, if they come to play, then that will suit Boro. Just need to get an early goal or two again to leave them chasing the game.
All being well, we will a decent amount of fit players for KH to select(a bonus of late) and the question is will McGree start and if so, who does he replace?
Well done on your retirement- well deserved and I can highly recommend it! I have mastered the art of not getting up in winter until it is light so you will be able to have lots of lie ins now.
I hope that your family outing to The Riverside is as enjoyable and successful as mine was on Saturday! There were two less frequent visitors than me and we scored 4 so using the same formula I am expecting you to bring 8 goals with you!
Mind you with OFB and his wife hopefully making a return then it had better not be 0-0!! 🤣
When I started my career in banking back in 1978, I thought I would end my career with the same company………..managed the 40 years albeit with several different companies after 2000! Not sure too many of my contemporaries did either.
Hope the funeral goes as well as these things can do.
Middlesbrough midfielder Abdoulaye Kanté is expected to join Saint-Étienne on loan. (Mohamed Toubache-Ter - X)
Many thanks for a really informative opener, Jarkko. You say you made the odd mistake - not that I noticed any - but your ability to use a language other than your own, and indeed which is very different, never ceases to amaze me! Well done indeed. And all the best for your retirement. I hope you’ll now be able to do all those things you’ve wanted to do for ages but haven’t had the time! Perhaps we’ll see you more often at The Riverside?
You’ve pointed out the many strengths of a Norwich team on a good run of form. I’m sure KH will have studied them intensely as part of his preparation. Let’s hope Boro end their revival on Saturday. But we will no doubt need to be near our best to counter their threat.
All the best for your return to Boro action, Bob. I hope the lads continue to do the business for you with a good win.
@boro-beckys-dad. Yes it is a bit strange for someone to do so many years with one bank these days.
When I started, in 1969, it was unheard of for staff to switch from say Lloyds to Barclays, other than at Senior Executive level.
As times moved on things changed, especially when banks began merging. I then, for the first time, worked with colleagues who had worked for other banks, some more than one, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience of learning from and sharing experiences with colleagues from a varied background.
I suspect that these days, staff do not anticipate having a job for life with one organisation and are concerned more about when the next merger will take place or if their branch or department is about to close.
I never forget how lucky I have been to have had such a varied, demanding and rewarding career with one organisation and slightly saddened that it will probably not be available to others as the industry continues to evolve.
Thanks for your kind comments re tomorrow, my wife’s aunt passed away suddenly just after Christmas and whilst we have come to accept her passing it still remains a shock. 😎
@Jarkko. I forgot to mention that once you have retired you will begin to wonder how you managed to find the time to go to work!😉😎
@original-fat-bob. I wonder if this means MFC are prepared to let DS leave? I hope not as I don’t think he has been given enough game time.
There could of course be other reasons or I could be wide of the mark and SG is throwing everything at a promotion push with AA being recruited in addition to DS. 😎
ADAM ARMSTRONG OF SOUTHAMPTON
If this happens then he is the kind of forward we need
philip of Huddersfield 👍