MATCH PREVIEW: Charlton Athletic vs. Norwich City - Saturday 21st March 2026 - 3pm Kick-Off
Charlton Athletic vs. Norwich City
Saturday 21st March 2026 - 3pm Kick-Off
Referee: Will Finnie
Introduction
Charlton took a step closer to safety last Saturday with a hard fought out point achieved in Oxfordshire. Fans weren't exactly seen to be sprinting to watch a re-run of the game when it was made available, but a penalty at the death from Charlie Kelman helped to increase our chances of playing Championship Football next season, and hopefully for the remainder of this campaign, it'll allow us to look further up the League table, than nervously behind us.
The Opposition
Name: Norwich City (12th) - Manager: Philippe Clement
Ground: Carrow Road
Previous Result: Southampton 1-0 Norwich
Next up in SE7 will be Norwich City who have had a very contrasting season themselves, just two wins until mid-November, none of those coming at Carrow Road; Norwich fans were left wondering if they'd be doomed to see a first season in League One since 2010... However local boy: Liam Manning was sacked and Philippe Clement was brought in to steady the ship, and steady the ship he has done, allowing the Canaries to climb to mid-table and given the bizarre nature of the Championship, aren't quite out of Play-Off contention just yet either.
Of course it would take a mighty task for Norwich to close the 9-pt gap, especially having lost to 6th place side: Southampton on Wednesday evening. Yet it really cant be ruled out; Norwich come to the Valley this Saturday looking to complete the double, having won an equally uninspiring clash against us on Boxing Day, ending up 1-0 victors, recording their first clean sheet in the process - Norwich fans will also be buoyed by the fact that they've not lost back to back games under Clement, and prior to visiting the South Coast on Wednesday night, had only conceded the one goal in four games... make that two goals now in five games...
In terms of head2head and Charlton have 24-wins compared to Norwich who have 33-wins... 2008/09 was the last time we recorded a home victory against the Canaries coming in a thrilling 4-2 win on the final day of the season, although both sides had already been relegated by this point... 1971/72 was the last time Norwich recorded the "double", ironically the first of those games came the day after Boxing Day (hopefully that's not a sign) with Norwich winning 3-0 at Carrow Road, and then a 2-0 victory at the Valley.
Charlton Team News
In terms of the fixtures left, when you take into account the form table; this is probably one of our three hardest games left this campaign, but we are at the Valley and for the most part this is where we've been strongest this campaign - You'd hope to see us starting to play with a little bit of freedom now, given that safety is starting to look more and more likely... In terms of the team, and can you really expect to see many changes?
Despite conceding a penalty (which wasn't his fault) Will Mannion deserves to keep his starting berth, whilst Lyndon Dykes should now be available after late illness kept him out of the game with Oxford United, so you'd expect to see Miles Leaburn dropping to the bench as a result... Its who lines up next to Dykes that is the question; Tyreece Campbell with his pace, but lack of form - Or Charlie Kelman who equally has his moments, yet has been coming up with goals of late?
I leave that for Nathan Jones to decide, however with an International Break next up, it means that we'll hopefully see a few more returning faces ahead of facing Bristol City
Mannion
Ramsay - Jones - Bell
Clarke - Coventry - Docherty - Chambers
Carey
Dykes - Kelman
Substitutes: Kaminski - Gough - Coady - Fevrier - Gillesphey - Costello - Campbell - Leaburn - Fullah
Comments
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Another tough one...they all are, but a win effectively ensures safety. I have lived in Norwich for 38 years now so desperately want to win this. It goes much deeper than bragging rights with my city mates. They won't want to high six me if we win. UTA40
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Having watched a truly awful Charlton performance at Carrow Road I really hope to see a great home win.8
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3-0 defeat. Norwich will be too strong for us unfortunately3
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This is I think going to be very tough. Norwich are in good form and have won seven of their last eight albeit against teams that have been struggling. Their only loss in that being Birmingham at home. I think our general lack of goals might hurt us on this one. We concede and I think we’ll struggle to get back in it. 0 - 21
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They’re a very good side under their new (does he count as new still?) manager, with 13 wins from 21 games… easy automatic promotion form since late November.
Their last four away from home include two narrow defeats at Southampton and Middlesbrough (1-0 each time) and two comfortable wins at Leicester (0-2) and Oxford (0-3).They don’t seem to like both teams to score, and with us being a low scoring, low conceding side ourselves, I’d expect one goal either way like our recent home matches against Wrexham and Birmingham.
It will be a good test for the team, I would happily take a point and move on to the next set of fixtures after the international break.6 -
1-0 it’s what we do COYR4
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No idea how to predict this. Norwich are in cracking form but their creativity often comes in the same way Middlesbrough's does and we shut them down. Will NJ play like that at home? Wouldn't be surprised to see Coady back in midfield for a little solidity. TC starting or not might partly come down to if he's in the Jamaica squad or if he'll get a rest for 2 weeks1
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Great preview as always FA.
Having taken 7 points from our last 3 games we are almost safe. I say almost but a win tomorrow would push us over 50 points and with 7 games still to play in think we would have all settled for that at the start of the season.
I think Norwich will be a real test tomorrow and I would happily settle for a point.
Once we hit the 50 point mark I would like to see Nathan give a couple of the youngsters a chance in the remainder of the season.
The experience they would gain from playing a few first team games with no real pressure on them could be a great learning curve.
Head says 1 2
Heart says 1 12 -
COYR1
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Home win, 1-0.2
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This is going to be a tough game, but very few teams put 3 past us at The ValleyMrBurns said:3-0 defeat. Norwich will be too strong for us unfortunately1 -
Comfortable home win, 1-0.0
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3 of the last 6 games have ended 1-1gmantaxi said:1-0 it’s what we do COYR0 -
Kelman has to start along with Dykes. Campbell just isn't doing it ATM and has looked poor. Doc and Mannion both deserve to stay in.
Will be difficult game for sure. Id take a draw all day long and just keep clawing points for aslong as we have too.
Would really like us to be aggressive and down right nasty...be a shithouse team and get at oppos to wind them up. We have it done to us all the time so why not give it back!
Charlton 1- Norwich 1 (Kelman)1 -
Since they beat us on Boxing Day Norwich have lost six games in total (including their last match against Southampton). On the previous five occasions they’ve bounced back with a win each time. Think they have to be strong favourites to make it six out of six tomorrow.
Would definitely take a point if you offered me now.2 -
se9addick said:Since they beat us on Boxing Day Norwich have lost six games in total (including their last match against Southampton). On the previous five occasions they’ve bounced back with a win each time. Think they have to be strong favourites to make it six out of six tomorrow.
Would definitely take a point if you offered me now.League games only, both Charlton and Norwich have lost just five games post- Boxing Day?(The sixth, which we've both done, appears to have been in the FA Cup against Premier League opposition)1 -
We do need this one to go well, not saying a must win, but getting over the 50 mark would be such a boost at this time of the season, so going with heart today and a 2-0, don't care who scores...COYRRFSR4
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They have a good midfield, and strikers to benefit from it. We will be pushed back as we were away, so head says Norwich 2 Charlton 0.0
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If we do get a win which will be a tough ask, we will be right into the middle of pack with the teams on the low 50s - it will confirm safety I would say. You'd think we'd get at least a point a Wednesday and I think 52 will be fine.0
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The more posts of we will lose, the more I smile😂 2-1 Addicks.6
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Have they got anything to play for now? Think the defeat to Saints effectively ended their outside chances of a PO spot.
That being said, can't see beyond a 2-0 defeat - we just don't create enough. If we start fast and put away a chance though like we should've against Pompey and Wrexham then maybe.
But no.0 -
That 27 December 1971 game at Carrow Road referred to FA was one of my early away games as a youngster. It was a full house at Carrow Road, Kenny Foggo scored after 10 minutes and we barely got a kick, with Ray Treacy having our only attempt on goal in the second half. Two late goals finished us off. David Cross was making his debut, having signed from Rochdale for £40,000, and another debutant, Jim Bone from Partick Thistle, scored in the 2-0 at The Valley in the return at Easter. Following a 2-1 home defeat to Orient in Good Friday morning (featuring a memorable own goal from David Shipperley), the writing was very much on the wall. At least we're in much better shape at present.
Norwich will be favourites tomorrow but we usually perform reasonably well at home and I quite fancy us to take something from the game. I think that Josh Makama, who gave us such problems on Boxing Day, and Toure are both still injured, which must deplete Norwich to some extent, notwithstanding their excellent form and the strength of their squad. As others have said, a draw would be a satisfactory outcome.5 -
This is a "must not lose" match.
It's nothing to do with putting a relegation battle to bed, this is bigger than that: Monday morning at work.
I don't want to be in meetings next week with smug, chirpy Canaries. A win for us would be great but I'd be happy with a draw.
1-1 (Ginger Genius in front of the Jimmy Seed, giving it the celebration biggun in front of his county-folk)12 -
- Charlton lost in this season’s reverse fixture against Norwich (0-1 on Boxing Day 2025) and haven’t lost home and away to them in a league campaign since 1971-72.
- This will be Norwich’s first league game at The Valley in over a decade (since February 2015), when they won 2-3 against Guy Luzon’s Charlton under the management of Alex Neil.
- Charlton have won more games by a 1-0 scoreline than any other team in the Championship this season (8), including one in their most recent home game (1-0 v Birmingham).
- Norwich have won six of their last 10 league games on a Saturday (D1 L3), after only winning two of their first 12 in the current campaign (D2 L8).
- Two of Charlie Kelman’s three league goals at the Valley have been the only strike in a 1-0 win after coming off the bench, including in the Addicks’ most recent one (1-0 v Birmingham).
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No Makama for them as out for the season and at Carrow Road he was the stand out. So not quite as worried as i was, as he will be Premier League soon enough. Sunny day, full houseish, surely we're set up to have a great day.....!1
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This could be really tough because they've been flying. Big question for me... After they lost against Southampton, are they now thinking the play-offs are no longer possible, and will they already be on the beach?
I hope so. But if they're still fully up for it, think this will be a very difficult game.2 -
This is my hope too. I thought they were quite poor at Southampton, but could easily have snatched a draw late on. If we are in a mindset of being safe already then that won't help on the day. We'll never know whatever happens.Chunes said:This could be really tough because they've been flying. Big question for me... After they lost against Southampton, are they now thinking the play-offs are no longer possible, and will they already be on the beach?
I hope so. But if they're still fully up for it, think this will be a very difficult game.0 -
I think it's pretty much win or bust for them so may work in our advantage as playing on the counter could work (if TC wakes up!)Chunes said:This could be really tough because they've been flying. Big question for me... After they lost against Southampton, are they now thinking the play-offs are no longer possible, and will they already be on the beach?
I hope so. But if they're still fully up for it, think this will be a very difficult game.0 -
Don’t start TC, he is much better as an impact sub.8
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That usually means we will do alright 👍MrBurns said:3-0 defeat. Norwich will be too strong for us unfortunately0
