Teemu Pukki is given time and plenty of space outside the Sunderland area, as if the defence are daring him to try his luck. He duly obliges but his effort fizzes well over the bar.

Joe Gelhardt shows his strength down the Sunderland left, holding off Grant Hanley and drilling in a low shot from an angle which Angus Gunn is able to flop down onto.

We're under way at a sundrenched Carrow Road. One of the most colourful sights in all of the EFL on a spring-like day like today.

Image source, Rex Features

Carrow Road will hold a minute's applause before kick-off in memory of former Norwich chairman Robert Chase, who recently passed away at the age of 84.

Pyrotechnics and smoke fill the sunny Norfolk air. Hopefully the Sunderland fans who set off for the 250+ mile journey in the early hours have all found their seats.

The action is moments away...

As well as keeping across our live text page today, our colleagues in BBC local radio have got you covered.

Tune in to BBC Radio Norfolk or BBC Radio Newcastle if you're in the area and listen to the live commentary from this lunchtime's match.

Image source, Getty Images

These sides come into today's game in very different form.

The Canaries have won their last three league games and the 3-2 success at Millwall last Saturday sounded a real warning shot to the other promotion contenders.

By contrast Sunderland have lost their last three Championship games, most recently the calamitous 5-1 reverse at home to former boss Alex Neil’s Stoke last weekend.

The omens aren't all bad for the Black Cats, however, they have won on their last two visits to Carrow Road, 3-0 in the Premier League in 2016 and 3-1 in the Championship the following season.

Norwich won 1-0 at the Stadium of Light on 27 August and are looking to complete their first league double over the visitors in 25 years.

Should be a cracker!

David Wagner has made just the one change from the side which won at The Den, Marcelino Nunez is recalled in place of Jacob Sorensen, who was among the scorers in South London.

American forward Josh Sargent returns to the Canaries bench.

Norwich XI: Gunn, Aarons, Hanley, Gibson, Idah, Sara, Pukki, McLean, Hernandez, Nunez, Giannoulis.

Subs: Krul, Omobamidele, Marquinhos, Tzolis, Sorensen, Sargent, Gibbs.

Tony Mowbray has made three changes to the Sunderland side humbled by Stoke last weekend.

Man United loanee Amad Diallo looks a big miss after collecting a knock in training on Friday, with Abdoullah Ba handed the start.

Aji Alese suffered a season-ending thigh injury against the Potters and is replaced in the line-up at left-back by Luke O'Nien. Eduard Michut is the other change, in for former Canaries midfielder Alex Gregory, who does not even make the bench.

Sunderland XI: Patterson, Hume, Ballard, Batth, O'Nien, Michut, Neil, Roberts, Ba, Clarke, Gelhardt.

Subs: Bass, Lihadji, Bennette, Gooch, Ekwah, Anderson, Taylor.

It’s already been a typically tumultuous weekend in the Championship.

Burnley’s stroll back to the Premier League continued apace after their win over Wigan but the race to join them is hotting up.

Second-placed Sheffield United lost 1-0 at home to Luton, who climbed to fourth, Middlesbrough closed the gap to four points with victory at Swansea and Millwall returned to the top-six after their win at Reading.

Blackburn’s Friday night defeat against Stoke means that Norwich could return to fifth with victory this afternoon.

Sunderland have slid down to 12th but three points today would take them above Watford into 10th, and just five points adrift of the play-offs themselves.

No wonder some people consider the Championship the most exciting division in world football, eh!?

Welcome to another sport-packed Sunday afternoon.

Hopefully the dogs have been walked, the papers read and you have worked up an appetite for a feast of football.

The special this lunchtime is a piping hot Championship clash between Norwich and Sunderland.

Kick-off is 15 minutes away so stick around for team news and previews before we bring you live text commentary of all the action from Carrow Road.

Image source, Getty Images