Notebook – Norwich City v Spurs

We conclude our 2021/22 campaign on Sunday afternoon with a trip to Norwich City - and we have the chance to secure our place in next season’s Champions League at Carrow Road (4pm kick-off).

Here in the Notebook, take a look at all the game’s key points of note…

1 - A job to do

This Sunday, we have the chance to seal a return to the UEFA Champions League. Following the results of last weekend's action, we head into the final game of the season with qualification for European football's elite club competition in our hands, but there is still a job to be done against Norwich City. We make the trip to Carrow Road sitting two points clear of our nearest challengers Arsenal, while we also hold a significantly better goal difference. It means we will need to take at least a point in Norfolk to be confident of ending a two season absence from the Champions League.

2 - Sonny’s Golden Boot prospects

A Champions League place isn’t the only thing that is riding on Sunday’s game though as Heung-Min Son is still in with a chance of picking up the Premier League’s Golden Boot. Ahead of the trip to Norfolk, Sonny sits just one goal behind the current leader of the goalscoring charts -  Mohamed Salah of Liverpool (22) - with 21 goals to his name so far in the top flight this season. Salah though, remains a doubt for the Reds ahead of their final league match - a home fixture with Wolves on Sunday - which means a single strike from our number seven at Carrow Road could see him share the prize with the Egyptian, while a brace could see him claim it outright.

3 - Until the last

When it comes to our final day outings in the Premier League, we have a strong record in these fixtures over the last 11 seasons. Since the 2010/11 campaign, we have lost just one of our final day fixtures (W8 D2) – that was a 5-1 defeat to Newcastle United in May, 2016.

In our most recent final day fixture, we were victorious as, at the end of last term, we defeated Leicester City 4-2 at the King Power to confirm another season of European football. Notably, six goals were scored that day and that high-scoring aspect has seemingly become a common occurrence in our last day outings as, in our last six such games, 35 goals have been scored (20 for, 15 against), which is an average of 5.8 goals per game.

4 - Down, but not out

While we have largely enjoyed our final day outings in the Premier League, it must be noted that, when we have faced already relegated sides in such fixtures - as Norwich are in this situation - it hasn't always worked in our favour. Having previously played six final day fixtures against sides already relegated from the top flight, we have only prevailed twice, losing three times and drawing the other.

5 - Canaries’ final day frustrations

Despite those defeats for us, Norwich City have also endured some frustrating final day outings in the Premier League. In their nine campaigns in the competition to date, the Canaries have won just twice on the final day, drawing three and losing four times – both of those wins came in seasons in which they maintained their Premier League status (2011/12 and 2012/13). They have also lost each of their last three last day fixtures by an aggregate score of 10-0.

6 - Norwich eyeing a milestone victory

If Norwich are to take all three points on Sunday though, it will see them record a landmark win in the Premier League. The Canaries come into this match with 99 wins in the competition to date meaning, with victory on Sunday, they would reach the milestone of a century of victories in the Premier League. If they were to achieve that feat, they would become the 23^rd side since the league’s inception in 1992 to record 100 wins. We currently have 501 wins to our name.

7 - A difficult campaign for the Canaries

While that landmark victory is in reach for Norwich, it has undoubtedly been a tough season for them. Having returned to the top flight in 2021 at the first time of asking following their 2020 relegation, the Canaries have ultimately met the same fate this term having picked up just 22 points from their 37 games thus far.

Having lost each of their first six games, the Norfolk outfit did enjoy a promising spell in the late autumn with just two defeats in their next eight outings to see them climb to within three points of safety. However, since that bright period, they have won just three of their following 23 games, picking up 12 points from a possible 69.

8 - On top against City

We head to Norfolk holding a rather impressive record on Norwich's turf. In our last 10 leagues visits to Carrow Road, we have lost just once, winning six times and drawing the other three. Our last league defeat there came in February, 2014, as we fell 1-0. In each of our last five matches against the Canaries, we have scored at least twice in each game.

Our last meeting - Spurs 3-0 Norwich - December, 2021

9 - Penalty charge

Despite having reported feeling unwell on Friday morning, Harry Kane is expected to be available for selection on Sunday - and, if we’re awarded a penalty, our designated spot-kick taker could make Spurs history. Having scored from the spot in each of our last two games, Harry could become the first Spurs player to score a penalty in three successive Premier League games. Of course, to achieve that piece of history, we would firstly need to be awarded a penalty at Carrow Road, however it is worth noting that no side in the Premier League this season has conceded more spot-kicks than Norwich (12).

10 - Kane’s final day hits

While Harry will be eager to play his part in this game to help us get over the line in our challenge for a Champions League place, he will also be keen to keep up his fine final day record in the Premier League. Since making his breakthrough into our first team at the end of the 2013/14 season, Harry has appeared in all bar one of our final day league fixtures - he missed our 2-2 home draw with Everton in May, 2019, due to injury – and he has been involved in 10 goals in that time (eight scored, two assisted). Only two players have scored more goals than Harry on the final day of a Premier League season in the history of the competition – Les Ferdinand and Andy Cole (both nine).