Football League World
·14 August 2026
McLean starts: The Norwich City XI Philippe Clement should play v West Brom on Saturday

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·14 August 2026

We have taken a look at how Norwich City should lineup against West Bromwich Albion on the opening weekend of the Championship season.
Norwich City will be expected to challenge for promotion to the Premier League after their impressive start to life under the management of Philippe Clement last season.
The former Monaco and Rangers boss replaced Liam Manning mid-way through last year when The Canaries were in a difficult spot and almost certain to be involved in a relegation battle throughout the campaign.
Instead, Norwich managed to finish the season as one of the best teams in the division, collecting 41 points from their final 20 games of the campaign.
A settled squad with only a few additions, such as Sam Field joining on a permanent basis after a loan stint last year as well as the signings of Andre Brooks and Darlin Yongwa, Norwich have also signed centre-back Bruno Alves on loan from Cruzeiro.
They do have a few key injury issues ahead of the campaign with Kellan Fisher and Jovan Makama missing alongside Ali Ahmed, who has sustained an ACL injury.
After their 4-1 hammering of Milton Keynes Dons in the first round of the EFL Cup last week, this is how we think Norwich should lineup against West Bromwich Albion on the opening weekend of the Championship campaign.

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Joining from Sporting CP last season alongside fellow goalkeepers Dan Grimshaw and Louie Moulden, Vladan Kovacevic established himself as Norwich’s ‘number one’.
The former Bosnia-Herzegovina youth international performed well and looks set to kick on this time around, too.

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Perhaps benefitting from the injury to Kellan Fisher, Jack Stacey is expected to start at right-back, albeit Stacey was still starting at right-back at the back end of last season with Fisher having moved across to left-back.

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Panama international centre-back Jose Cordoba experienced a shaky start to life at Carrow Road but he has now established himself as the starting centre-back, with his partner on the left-side the biggest debate.

Harry Darling was the man who got the nod alongside Cordoba against his former club MK Dons. The former Swansea City man looks set to keep out youngster Ruairi McConville, who was preferred at the back end of last year, and new signing Bruno Alves.

With the form of Jack Stacey, Kellan Fisher was likely set to move to left-back again but his injury presents an opportunity for Ben Chrisene to keep his spot there, ahead of Darlin Yongwa, who is still settling into life in England after joining from Lorient on a free transfer earlier this summer.

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Pelle Mattsson signed from Silkeborg last summer in what was an extremely busy summer transfer window and, again after a shaky start like Cordoba and a few others, soon established himself as a key man in the middle of the park under Clement.

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One of the bigger decisions for Clement to make is Mattsson’s partner in midfield but club captain Kenny McLean looks set to get the nod after starting in the cup last week.
He kept out Jacob Wright, who had finished last season strongly.

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Mathias Kvistgaarden came off the bench last week only to be forced off through injury and that should mean Oscar Schwartau is guaranteed of keeping his spot on the right-hand side ahead of the likes of Amankwah Forson and Matej Jurasek.

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Jurasek will also be pushing for the attacking midfield role but Tunisia international Anis Ben Slimane got the nod last week. He then went on to score against MK Dons and it would be a surprise if Clement then took the decision to drop him for the clash against The Baggies.

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The other ten players in this eleven were all at Norwich last season but one new signing that is expected to start is Andre Brooks. Having signed from Sheffield United for a fee believed to be in the region of £8 million, Brooks is something of a surprise coup for Norwich and, even in a stacked area of the pitch, signs on as a guaranteed starter on the left-wing.







































