Norwich City are set to play in front of the biggest crowd of their season on Sunday, when Daniel Farke’s promoted squad are hoping to seal the Championship title.
There will be around 2,800 Canaries fans at Villa Park for the final game of the campaign but the play-off bound hosts have also sold out the home areas, with an attendance in excess of 41,000 expected.
That will be the biggest crowd Norwich have played in front of in a league game since a dramatic 4-3 defeat at Newcastle in the Championship, when 48,236 packed into St James’ Park in September 2016.
There was a League Cup game at Arsenal that was watched by 58,444 at the Emirates Stadium in October of last year – wioth 8,773 fans in the away end – but the Villa game will be the biggest attendance in a league match since that Newcastle encounter.
Villa have the biggest stadium in the Championship and average the highest attendance so far this season, of 35,092, ahead of Leeds (33,454), with City’s average (25,976) sixth highest – although the Canaries’ average percentage of capacity (95.3pc) is the highest in the division.
MORE: Host of selection issues for Villa ahead of clash with promoted Canaries
Villa have had crowds of over 41,000 for four matches so far this season, with a 2-1 win over play-off rivals Bristol City last month pulling in their highest of 41,418 – which was also advertised as a sell-out.
The previous highest crowd leaders Norwich played in front of this campaign was 36,524 during their hugely important 3-1 win over title rivals Leeds in February.
The last time the Canaries travelled to Villa Park, in August 2017, there were 1,544 away fans there to see a 4-2 defeat during the shaky early stages of Daniel Farke’s reign.
There will be 2,800 this time though, with promotion to the Premier League sealed and a point enough to guarantee the title and Villa having several selection issues ahead of their play-off semi-final.
If Sheffield United fail to win at Stoke in another of 12.30pm kick-offs on the final day, City’s result will not matter, as the Blades are the only team who can stop them lifting the trophy.
The Canaries have taken in excess of 2,500 to four of their last five away matches, including a remarkable 5,300 to Wigan last month, and have averaged an away following of over 1,800 this season.
A following of 2,800 on Sunday will take the total for away league games this season to 44,094, for a final average of 1,917 across 23 matches.
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