Norwich welcome Brighton in the FA Cup third round, as the visitors aim to steer clear of a potential upset against their lower-tier opponents.
Billy More Jan 5
Norwich City temporarily shift their focus from their Championship playoff push to aim for a promising FA Cup run. The Canaries are in strong form, unbeaten in their last four league games, including three victories. Historically, the FA Cup has been less kind to Norwich, with seven third-round exits in the last 11 seasons. However, they reached the fourth round last year before being eliminated by Liverpool.
Brighton have enjoyed more consistency in recent FA Cup campaigns, advancing past the third round in each of the last four seasons. Their best run came two years ago, when they reached the semi-finals, while last year saw them exit in the fifth round to Wolves. Currently mired in an eight-game winless streak in the Premier League, this match offers Brighton a chance to reset and refocus.
Both teams come into this game with a penchant for high-scoring affairs. Norwich have been prolific at home, netting 16 goals across their last six matches, including emphatic 6-1 and 4-2 victories. Borja Sainz leads their attack with 15 goals, far ahead of teammates Ante Crnac, Marcelino Nunez, and Josh Sargent, who each have four. However, defensive frailties remain, with Norwich managing just two clean sheets in their last 17 games.
Brighton, under Fabian Hurzeler, have distributed their goals more evenly. Danny Welbeck tops their charts with six goals, followed closely by Joao Pedro with four. While their attack has produced 29 league goals this season, Brighton’s defense has struggled, keeping only one clean sheet in their last 13 matches.
These sides have faced off eight times since 2014 in both the Championship and Premier League. Brighton hold a slight edge with three wins to Norwich’s two, alongside three draws. Their last FA Cup meeting in 2003 ended in a 3-1 Norwich victory. More recently, their 2022 encounter in the Premier League ended in a second consecutive goalless draw. Brighton are unbeaten in the last five meetings, keeping clean sheets in each of the last four.
Norwich’s recent resurgence began after a 2-1 loss to Sunderland, where a late Jobe Bellingham goal decided the match following a red card for Jose Cordoba. They rebounded with a 2-1 win over Millwall, thanks to first-half goals from Emiliano Marcondes and Oscar Schwartau. A 1-1 draw against QPR followed, with Marcelino Nunez salvaging a late point. Victories over Luton (1-0) and Coventry (2-1) have further bolstered their form, with Amankwah Forson scoring twice in stoppage time to secure the latter.
Brighton’s winless run began with a 3-1 defeat to rivals Crystal Palace, despite dominating large stretches of the game. They followed with a 1-1 draw at West Ham, where Mohammed Kudus equalized Mats Wieffer’s opener. Back-to-back home draws against Brentford (0-0) and Arsenal (1-1) highlighted their struggles to capitalize on chances. Their most recent outing, a 2-2 draw at Aston Villa, saw Tariq Lamptey score late to rescue a point.
Both teams enter this match with contrasting narratives. Norwich’s recent form and attacking output make them a dangerous opponent, but Brighton’s experience and pedigree in the FA Cup should give them the edge. With both teams regularly finding the net and struggling defensively, this game promises plenty of goals. Brighton, unbeaten in their last five encounters with Norwich, will look to maintain their dominance and progress to the next round.
