PHIL NOBLE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images. Pictured: Jurgen Klopp
Norwich City vs. Liverpool Odds
| Norwich City Odds | +750 |
| Liverpool Odds | -320 |
| Draw | +500 |
| Over/Under | 3.5 (+120 / -150) |
| Day | Time | Saturday | 12:30 p.m. ET |
| How To Watch | NBC | Peacock Premium | fuboTV |
| Odds updated Friday morning via DraftKings. | |
Premier League action returns to Carrow Road on Saturday when Norwich City takes on Liverpool in an intriguing opening-weekend matchup.
The Canaries are back in the English top flight after an impressive title run in the second-division Championship, where it racked up a whopping 97 points on their way to promotion.
On the other side, the Reds are hoping to get off to a better start than they did last season in their last quest for a league crown. Liverpool, which finished third in the 20-team league in the 2020-21 campaign, is sitting at +500 odds to dethrone reigning champion Manchester City.
Let’s take a look at this matchup and see what might be in store.
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Norwich City Hoping to Stay Up This Season
It was a season in the Championship to remember for the Carrow Road lads, who cruised to the league crown. The Canaries finished six points clear of second-place Watford, who also earned its spot in the top flight, and were heads and tails the best of the lot.
Now, manager Daniel Farke has to get Norwich City prepared for the grueling 38-match slate on its plate and hope he can keep them up this season. Two years back, the outfit finished last in the Premier League with just 19 points. That disappointing campaign led them to earning a trip back to the second tier.
Striker Teemu Pukki leads the Canaries’ offensive attack, which should come out in a 4-2-3-1 formation on debut. Pukki will look to get support from midfielder Todd Cantwell this season as well.
I fully expect Norwich City to have a rough go of things in this fixture, largely due to the fact the club has been dealing COVID-19 issues. Several players could wind up missing this game, thus leaving Farke with an ultra-thin roster.
Liverpool Could Make Serious Run Toward Crown
Manager Jürgen Klopp and the Reds are coming off a disappointing run that saw them finish behind Manchester City and Manchester United in the table. It would have been considered a strong season for pretty much everyone else, but the fact Liverpool had to scratch and claw its way back into a Champions League spot deep in the campaign didn’t make things all that pleasant.
The Reds have all the tools to make a serious run at another league crown. It’s simply all about putting things together on a consistent basis. Last season, Liverpool finished with a solid 72.6 expected goals, which was second to Manchester City (73.3 xG) and well clear of Chelsea (64.0 xG) in the category.
However, the loss of several keep players on the defensive side of the pitch led to an uncharacteristically porous back line that conceded 45.3 xGA last season. Just to show you how mediocre that advanced metric was for the club, Brighton & Hove Albion was much at 37.7 xGA and it finished in 16th place.
Bottom line, if the Reds can replicate a similar offensive showing this season (which I believe they can) and get their defense to vastly improve, this outfit has all the makings of being a serious title contender.
Betting Analysis & Pick
There is no need to overthink things in the opener for these clubs. Liverpool is stronger, deeper, healthier and more talented side. There’s no question about that. Throw in the COVID-19 situation at Norwich City and you have the recipe for what could be an ugly affair.
For those reasons, I’m backing Liverpool to over the -1.5 spread at -130 odds via DraftKings as my top pick. The Reds have something to prove and will surely want to get off on the right foot, with the hope of not having to play catch up like it did last season.
Toss in the fact Liverpool has won its last six away matches at Norwich City across all competitions, and I like my chances with the visiting side to cruise to the season-opening triumph.
If you’re looking for a fun player prop, take a swing on Sadio Mané to score anytime at +130 odds. The Senegal international has the best number in this player prop when compared to Mohamed Salah (-165) and Diogo Jota (-135), so I’m finding plenty of value on the winger to cash this ticket.
Pick: Liverpool -1.5 (-130) | Sadio Mané To Score Anytime — Yes (+130)
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