Cardiff v Norwich LIVE: Smith looks to get promotion chase off to perfect start

The Canaries finished bottom of the pile in the Premier League last term but have managed to be promoted the last two times they have been in England's second tier.

Norwich still have many members of the 2020/21 squad that won the Championship, so they have plenty of experience and quality at this level.

They have also managed to shift a lot of the players signed last summer that failed, and they are one of the favourites to be promoted.

Meanwhile, their opponents will be looking for an improvement on their 18th-placed finish last season, and they have been very busy in the transfer market.

The likes of Will Vaulks, Aden Flint and Marlon Pack are gone and 13 first-team players have arrived, with the standouts being Romaine Sawyers, Sheyi Ojo and Cedric Kipre.

Cardiff v Norwich: talkSPORT coverage

This Championship clash will take place on Saturday, July 30.

The game at the Cardiff City Stadium will kick-off at 3pm.

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream. You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

Cardiff v Norwich: Team news

The hosts actually have quite a few injury concerns ahead of their season opener.

New signing Ebou Adams suffered a nasty shoulder problem just ten minutes into his debut, while Rubin Colwill and Joe Ralls have barely featured during pre-season.

But Kipre, Ojo, Sawyers, Callum O'Dowda and Andy Rinomhota are probably guaranteed to make their competitive debuts.

However, Sean Morrison remains out with a long-term ACL injury.

Meanwhile, Norwich will be without midfielder Isaac Hayden after he had a minor operation to fix a slight knee issue.

Fellow new boy Gabriel Sara is still recovering from an ankle operation but was expected back in training this week.

Tim Krul, Josh Sargent and Adam Idah have overcome various problems in the last few days and will be fit and ready for selection.

Cardiff v Norwich: What has been said?

Norwich City manager Dean Smith: "Fitness wise I am happy with where the team is. Creativity wise, we will be okay.

"We created enough chances against Marseille. Cambridge, we created enough chances and we will create enough chances. I am quite confident.

"We have a good squad of players. I think we will be a real challenge for anybody in the Championship this season and I am looking forward to it.

Cardiff v Norwich: Match facts

Cardiff City have lost six of their last eight league games against Norwich City (W2), losing both games the last time they faced them in the 2020-21 season.

Norwich have won three of their last four away league matches against Cardiff (L1), as many as in their previous 15 away matches against the Bluebirds.

Cardiff City have won their opening league match in just one of the last nine seasons (D4 L4), winning 1-0 away at Burton Albion in 2017-18 under Neil Warnock.

Norwich City have won their opening league game in just two of the last 19 seasons (D8 L9), winning in 2016-17 vs Blackburn and 2020-21 vs Huddersfield.

Dean Smith lost 67% of his league games in charge of Norwich last season in the Premier League (P27 L18) and has lost 67% of his league games against Cardiff City in his managerial career (P6 L4).