Norwich City head to Middlesbrough on Saturday seeking a third successive Championship victory, but Philippe Clement warned that few away fixtures present a tougher challenge. The Canaries arrive in Teesside buoyed by back-to-back league wins, yet face a Middlesbrough side widely fancied to mount a promotion challenge after narrowly missing out in last season's play-off final.
Form and recent meetings
Clement's side have taken six points from their last two matches following Wednesday's 2-1 victory over Birmingham City at Carrow Road. That win completed a positive week for Norwich, who can still make it an excellent nine-point return if they can get a result at the Riverside.
Historically, Middlesbrough have had the edge: they completed a league double over Norwich last season and are unbeaten in the last nine meetings between the clubs, a sequence stretching back to November 2020. Despite that record, Clement suggested recent improvements give him confidence, pointing to his ability to end Norwich's long wait for a win at Bramall Lane earlier this term and to reverse previous defeats to the Blues.
Squad availability and recovery timelines
The Norwich boss has seen some encouraging returns from injury that broaden his selection options for the trip north.
- Jovon Makama is back in contention after making his long-awaited return from a foot problem, coming off the bench for the final 20 minutes against Birmingham.
- Mo Touré and Anis Ben Slimane were rested on Wednesday and are available for selection.
- Gabe Forsyth (knee) is continuing his gradual comeback after more than 18 months out, having returned to action with the Under-21s last month.
- Mirko Topic (ACL) is undertaking individual grass work as he aims to rejoin team training at some stage.
- Lucien Mahovo (ankle) remains unavailable but has been pictured training away from the group while progressing his rehabilitation.
- Ali Ahmed faces a longer absence following an ACL injury and is expected to miss the majority of the season.
“We have plenty of options at our disposal,” Clement said in his press conference, reflecting on the improving availability within the squad.
Context and implications for selection
Those returns give Clement tactical flexibility, particularly in attack where the manager must decide whether to reintroduce rested players or to retain the personnel who secured the win over Birmingham. Makama's substitute appearance will be viewed positively; his fitness could influence the manager's decisions about rotations on the frontline.
Meanwhile, the ongoing recovery of midfielders and defenders such as Forsyth, Topic and Mahovo suggests the squad is slowly rebuilding depth. That will be significant in the weeks ahead, particularly with an international break approaching that could be used to accelerate reintegration to team training for some players.
What to watch at the Riverside
Middlesbrough's strong home form and status as promotion hopefuls mean Norwich will need to be at their best. The fixture will test whether the Canaries' recent upturn in form represents sustained progress under Clement or simply a brief upsurge in a season that has already seen unpredictable results.
| Aspect | Norwich status |
|---|---|
| Recent league form | Two wins on the bounce |
| Head-to-head recent run | Middlesbrough unbeaten in last nine |
| Key returns | Jovon Makama, Mo Touré, Anis Ben Slimane |
For Norwich supporters, the trip to Teesside will be a clear litmus test: not only of the team's ability to maintain recent momentum, but of the club's capacity to manage injuries and restore squad depth as the Championship season progresses.
