Struggles for new Norwich boss but dangerman a threat for West Brom
Norwich City have struggled for regular victories in head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup's debut campaign and head to The Hawthorns in a winless run.
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The Canaries have not tasted victory in six games and lost three on the spin before the international break. The barren run leaves Thorup's side down in 14th.
Despite that, Norwich boast one of the division's hottest attackers in Borja Sainz. The Spaniard, who was sent off at The Hawthorns last season, is Championship top scorer with 11 goals and won player of the month awards for September and October.
Norwich, whose squad is decimated by availability issues, have not won since they trounced Hull 4-0 at Carrow Road on October 5 and must rally to ensure a four-point gap to the top 10 does not widen further.
Thorup, 35, was a left-field appointment in May from Nordsjaelland in his homeland of Denmark.
He had only been a senior head coach since January 2023 having previously held an assistant and long-term youth coaching role.
Thorup succeeded German David Wagner at Carrow Road after the latter was axed despite finishing in the Championship play-offs last season.
Norwich finished sixth, one place and two points behind Carlos Corberan's Baggies, but it was a play-off semi-final humiliation that did for Wagner with a 4-0 second-leg defeat at Elland Road his final game in charge.
New boss Thorup, appointed in late May, got to work on his squad and added Panama international defender Jose Cordoba to his ranks as well as left-back Ben Chrisene from Villa.
The Canaries lost a star from last season, though, as Brazilian Gabriel Sara departed for Galatasaray for around £15million.
Norwich also recruited midfielder Forson Amankwah and attackers Oscar Schwartau and Ante Crnac, all from overseas.
Availability concerns have been a real issue for Thorup and the Canaries of late. Experienced key man Kenny McLean, the Scotland international, is still missing through an addition suspension he received for abusive language.
First-choice goalkeeper Angus Gunn has been sidelined, as have regulars Marcelino Nunez and Gabriel Forsyth and star striker Josh Sargent.
