Norwich City - Sunderland live updates

KICK-OFF: Referee Andre Marriner blows the whistle to get us underway here at Carrow Road. A win of vital importance to both teams in this fight for Premier League survival.

FIVE MINUTES TO KICK-OFF: The players are in the tunnel and making their way out onto the pitch.

TEN MINUTES TO KICK-OFF: Norwich City have won only five of their last 19 Premier League matches at Carrow Road (W5 D5 L9).

Sunderland are currently four points adrift of the Canaries and safety with a game in hand, but they know just how crucial Saturday's encounter between the two clubs - who play annually for the Friendship Cup, a throwback to their meeting in the 1985 League Cup final - could prove. Win and they are firmly back in the race; draw and they are at least no worse off; but lose, and the writing will be on the wall.

Norwich City have lost none of their last five Barclays Premier League meetings with Sunderland (W3 D2 L0).

DANGER MAN: Jermain Defoe has scored nine goals in 13 Premier League away appearances this season for the Black Cats.

This match will be Sam Allardyce’s 462nd in the Premier League; taking him to outright fourth in the list of most PL games managed behind Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and Harry Redknapp and one ahead of David Moyes.

Alex Neil: "Both teams don't like giving anything away but both teams recognise the fact that they need to win the game. I think it will be two very different halves.The first half will maybe be cagey with either team trying to get a foothold in the game, and I think the second half, depending on how the game's going, one team or the other's going to have to go for it and then it should open up from there."

Sam Allardyce: "My career will take whatever way and whatever form it needs to take; the players, most of them will never get a club better than this, in my opinion, with its facilities and its supporters, playing in the top league in the world, and they really need to realise that. I can't see you lads getting a better club than this one, so let's stay in the Premier League and let's make the club even better. That's their big challenge in the next six games."

Sam Allardyce: "It would hurt immensely if the club got relegated, for the club's sake first, not mine. I've had a fantastic career. I would be disappointed if I had that one relegation against my managerial career from the Premier League. It would hurt, yes, but it's more important for the club than it is for me. As a football club, it's more important for the players than it is for me in terms of my career."