Norwich City's name may not be highlighted red in the Premier League table just yet, but they are as good as down ahead of their season finale against Arsenal.
The Canaries need to beat the Gunners at Carrow Road on Sunday, hope that Stoke City win at West Bromwich Albion and that the two results bring about an incredibly improbable 17-goal swing to save them from relegation.
Neil Adams was promoted from youth team coach to prevent this demise, but has only picked up one point from four games since replacing Chris Hughton on April 6, when Norwich were five points clear of safety.
Sunderland's four victories in a row have seen the East Anglia outfit dragged into the bottom three and only a hard-fought point against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last weekend delayed the inevitable.
Adams will complain that a couple of penalty decisions went against them in London, but the main reason for Norwich's troubles has been a lack of goals, with their return of 28 the worst in the division.
A new-look strikeforce which cost £14m in the summer was supposed to fire them beyond last season's midtable finish, but Ricky van Wolfswinkel and Gary Hooper have netted only seven between them.
Arsenal frontman Olivier Giroud has more than double that tally with 16, but it is still Arsene Wenger's refusal to buy a world-class forward in January that is blamed for their failure to maintain their title charge.
The Gunners have fallen from top to fourth since the New Year, and although an 18th successive season in the Champions League has already been secured courtesy of last weekend's results, this will only be deemed a good campaign for the Londoners if they close it by lifting the FA Cup trophy.
With a nine-year silverware drought that has clouded the recent years of his tenure within touching distance of ending, Wenger may rest a few key faces for their Wembley showdown with Hull City on May 17, with Bacary Sagna, Santi Cazorla and Giroud among those who could sit this one out.
Aaron Ramsey and Kieran Gibbs are in line to return to the squad after overcoming muscle strains, as could Jack Wilshere after two months out, but none of them is likely to be risked from the start.
Wenger is optimistic that both Wilshere and Oxlade-Chamberlain, who will not feature on Sunday because of a groin problem, will be fit enough to be included in England's World Cup squad named on Monday.
Norwich keeper John Ruddy is also hopeful of making the plane to Brazil and will start on Sunday, but the hosts are without on-loan defender Joseph Yobo, midfielder David Fox and winger Anthony Pilkington.
Hooper is likely to be recalled up front in preference to Johan Elmander, while Nathan Redmond or Leroy Fer should be restored in midfield, should Adams abandon the 5-4-1 system used against Chelsea.
Recent form
Norwich: DLLLLL
Arsenal: WWWWLD
Possible starting lineups
Norwich: Ruddy; Martin, Turner, Bennett, Olsson; Tettey, Johnson; Redmond; Howson, Snodgrass; Hooper
Arsenal: Szczesny; Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Arteta, Flamini; Rosicky, Ozil, Podolski; Sanogo
Sports Mole says: 1-2
No Data Analysis info
