Stoke City are in a deep crisis heading into this match: three defeats in their opening three matches, with a combined score of 3-9, have them bottom of the table. But a return to their home ground, the Bet365 Stadium, could prove a psychological turning point – Robins' team desperately needs a reaction to their disastrous start, and a draw would be seen as a positive result.
Norwich, meanwhile, are also inconsistent: after a 4-1 win over Burnley, they lost 3-0 to Millwall and are showing a volatile performance. The Canaries have won only one of their last five league matches away from home, and their defense is conceding an average of two goals per game. In head-to-head encounters at Stoke, the visitors have failed to win their last two games, and their overall record is almost even (Stoke wins 22, Norwich wins 23), indicating the competitive nature of these matches.
