Too strong for the Championship but not good enough for the Premier League is an argument that continues to be put to Norwich, and it is difficult to argue against it considering what has occurred in the opening months of the 2021-22 campaign.
The Canaries have not been able to secure back-to-back seasons of top-flight football since 2012-13 and 2013-14, having dropped straight back into the Championship following their last two promotions, and it is difficult to imagine them breaking that pattern this term unless something drastic changes.
Norwich lost their opening six matches of the new Premier League season before picking up two points in back-to-back draws with Burnley and Brighton & Hove Albion either side of the international break.
Daniel Farke’s side were brought crashing back down to earth last weekend, though, as they suffered a 7-0 defeat at Chelsea, and there is simply no downplaying the importance of the clash with Leeds considering that both sides have found it difficult to perform in the opening months of the campaign.
Norwich have actually won four of their last six Premier League meetings with Leeds, suffering just one defeat in the process, although Sunday’s contest will be the first top-flight clash between the two sides since May 1995, when Leeds ran out 2-1 winners to relegate the Canaries to the second tier.
Leeds, meanwhile, will enter Sunday’s contest off the back of a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal in the last-16 stage of the EFL Cup on Tuesday night, with Calum Chambers and Eddie Nketiah on the scoresheet in North London.
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The Whites played out a 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League last weekend, meanwhile, with the result moving them onto seven points, which is only good enough for 17th at this stage.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side were so impressive on their return to the top flight last season, ultimately finishing ninth, and it would be fair to say that there were high hopes surrounding the team ahead of the new campaign, but they have struggled to get going in the opening months.
A record of one win, four draws and four defeats has left them at the wrong end of the table, and finding the back of the net has been a problem this term, with the Whites netting just eight times in nine matches; only Burnley (seven) and Norwich (two) have a worse record at this stage.
