Barclays Premier League

FINAL SCORE: NORWICH CITY 0-0 FULHAM

A very non-descript but nonetheless vital point for two sides hovering just above the drop zone. Both teams set their stall out early, Fulham containing a fairly unadventurous City attack, whilst the hosts were happy to allow their opponents the ball. Robert Snodgrass distinguished himself with an all-action performance for Norwich, supplying Luciano Becchio with a number of first-half chances that, in truth, he would have done well to convert. Only Steve Sidwell's rasping drive early in the second half had Mark Bunn in the Norwich goal worried, and whilst late cameos by Fulham's Urby Emanuelson and Kei Kamara for Norwich attracted attention, it was a game that failed to capture the imagination. Neither manager felt the need to put enough on the line to risk losing the game, and so neither of them did and the two clubs stay locked together, now two points clear of Newcastle in 15th.

ALL OVER

That Fulham corner is cleared and Norwich have one last chance but Fulham nod a free-kick clear and that's it, the whistle goes.

ACTION AT BOTH ENDS

Kamara is there again to try and reach a Jackson knock-on and he's penalised rather harshly for a foul on Schwarzer. Ashkan Dejagah comes on for Bryan Ruiz. Fulham swing in a free-kick from the right which bounces dangerously in the Norwich area. They only just hack it clear and Duff nods another cross down for Emanuelson to shoot. It goes out for a corner.

IT'S WARMING UP

Immediately there is Kamara to meet a Garrido free-kick but it loops up over the bar. Mark Bunn catches a Petric cross and releases his side. Finally we have some impetus. Manalev to Berbatov at the by-line. Norwich win it and Kamara comes forward. Norwich win a corner. Mark Schwarzer punches it clear.

CANARIES PRESS

Luciano Becchio lays a cross off to Bradley Johnson who swipes his shot wide from 20 yards. Becchio departs for Kamara. Five minutes to go and Norwich are on the front foot.

NORWICH HOPES

Norwich still have to go away to three of the top six. It will definitely be a case of grinding results out here at Carrow Road in the remainder of the season. They'll hope that their new striking options can bed in and contribute, the second of whom, Kei Kamara is about to come on.

FULHAM'S FORTUNES

Snodgrass again lines up a free-kick but it's laid off poorly. Fulham have been very solid at the back today. They have games against Stoke, Sunderland, Spurs and Chelsea to come before facing three of the sides currently below them. A crucial time for Martin Jol's men. Right now they're showing why they struggle away from home. A real lack of a target man to hold it up has made things easy for Norwich, themselves pretty toothless.

SWAPSIES

Hugo Rodallega departs and Mladen Petric arrives for Fulham whilst Norwich bring on Simeon Jackson in place of Elliott Bennett. Attacking changes from both sides then. Lord knows, we need some flair up-front in this one. There really is nothing to speak of at either end.

FRESH FULHAM

Urby Emanuelson looks composed and neat on the ball, a straight swap for Frimpong in the middle. Snodgrass fires tamely at Schwarzer from distance and then Ruiz keeps the ball in but his cross is wayward.

A POINT WELL MADE

With QPR and Wigan below them losing as we speak and Southampton lining up against Manchester City later on, these sides look set to pull two points clear of Newcastle in fifteenth. A valuable margin. They may not be doing enough to grind out a win today but certainly look good enough to remain in the Premier League for another year.

TRADING BLOWS

Elliott Bennett does well at the far post for Norwich but Fulham sweep up and break for Berbatov to fire an errant crossfield pass out of play. Emanuelson's first touch skips him away from his man to find Riise whose ball in allows Ruiz to strike, but he's leaning back and it's over the bar.

FULHAM CHANGE

The crowd are subdued on a chilly afternoon here at Carrow Road. Granted they have little to shout about. Here's the first change. It's Emmanuel Frimpong making way for another new man Urby Emanuelson. Can he provide a spark for Fulham?

CORNER BALLS

Norwich win a corner which Snodgrass plays in well and Fulham clear it for another one. Elliott Bennett strikes it back in when headed away and finally Fulham have a goal-kick.

LOW-KEY TO SAY THE LEAST

Norwich City get the ball for a while now and some cultured play pens Fulham back. Neither Hoolahan nor Snodgrass are the biggest but they're tussling with the equally diminutive Frimpong and Sidwell. Still a lack of quality marring this one.

PUTTING THEIR FEET IN

Combative is an understatement when it comes to Emmanuel Frimpong who does a number on Elliott Bennett in an advanced position to give Norwich a set piece 30 yards out. Snodgrass finds the wall and then Sidwell slides into win it for Fulham.

ON CALL

Bryan Ruiz has a volleyed shot charged down by Bassong who takes it full in the neck and he will receive treatment. Plenty of internationals out there today, particular for the multinational Fulham side, so perhaps some tired legs.

SIMMERING

John Arne Riise pings a cross in that's just too high for Berbatov before Norwich find Tettey on the right whose low cross squirms through to Mark Schwarzer. Patient build-up from both sides but still no cutting edge.

VISITORS HAVE IT

Fulham have the better of it at the start of the second half with Rodallega cushioning a ball forward and laying off to Manalev who can't find a man in the middle. Still they seem content to take the sting out of the game overall.

HOLT ABSENT

Incidentally Grant Holt doesn't feature for the hosts today due to a back problem. Steve Sidwell fires an early strike in for Fulham that's blocked by their defence.

UNDERWAY ONCE MORE

Here we go again then. The sides are unchanged.

HALF-TIME: 0-0

So not the greatest advert for the game here in East Anglia, but understandable really in light of how near these sides are to one another in the Premier League. A draw for either side would not be a bad result and, save a handful of half-chances for Luciano Becchio to open his Norwich City account, nothing suggests that will not be the case come the end. None of them were gilt-edged, but they never are at this level, and Robert Snodgrass has done enough to suggest that Becchio will see sight of goal once we resume. Whether he, or mercurial meandering magician Berbatov at the the other end might pull a canary or a rabbit from their respective hats is something we will shortly find out...

WEBB BLOWS UP

Wesley Hoolahan gets to the by-line and presents Becchio with his fourth opportunity of the half, yet again spurned off his head. You don't get many in this league, my boy! Does he have the quality to open up Fulham? We'll find out shortly, the whistle has gone.

PONDEROUS

Four minutes of stoppage time to be played. You'd like to think respective managers have some words of wisdom but can't help wondering whether the pair of them would settle for a point come full-time. There's quality out there though. A goal would really open things up.

A LITTLE DRAB

Berbatov, Fulham's best player this half, yet again wins a corner for his side, as Martin diverts a low cross away from Duff. Ruiz makes the kind of hash of it that sums up a lot of this opening 45. It's not the greatest game on earth. Both teams are no doubt nervous given what is riding on the match at this stage of the season.

BECCHIO THERE AGAIN

Russell Martin overlaps and sends a fine cross onto the penalty spot where Becchio is once again crowded out and can only put his header high over the bar. Norwich have dominated the last twenty minutes and are deservedly beginning to create chances.

OPTIONS ON EITHER SIDE

Elliott Bennett goes into the book after treading on Hugo Rodallega who is hobbling off. Urby Emanuelson will hope to play some part in proceedings today, as will Norwich new man Kei Kamara, both of whom are warming up on the touchline.

END TO END

A Fulham corner as Berbatov cushions a pass first-time and lays it off for Rodallega over the top who is snuffed out by Sebastien Bassong. The delivery is poor though and Snodgrass is away again to win another free-kick down on the right which the Scot takes. It's cleared though.

FINE LINES

Norwich City have started to gain some ground and Brede Hangeland upends Robert Snodgrass down in the right corner. Snodgrass delivers but that's too easy for Mark Schwarzer. Half an hour gone, and you feel this game will hinge on fine margins.

CROWDED COTTAGE

Frimpong is down now after taking a whack from behind. The spine of Fulham's side remains the same but it's a weighty squad now. Looking at their bench you have to wonder whether the likes of Petric, Kaciniclic and Karagounis have a future at Craven Cottage, Martin Jol having drafted in new faces in January.

MARTIN NODS IT OVER

Luciano Becchio is pole-axed by Philippe Senderos and Bradley Johnson gets the chance to loft a free-kick in. On the rebound Javier Garrido looks for Russell Martin whose glancing header is spooned over the bar.

STALEMATE

They're cancelling each other out so far at Carrow Road. Similar sides looking to build from deep either through the middle or down the channels and hit their respective front men, but neither have really breached the defence at the outset.

DUFF NEAR

Stanislav Manolev starts for Fulham as well today after his loan move from PSV and has seemed solid if unadventurous early on. Damien Duff fires a deflected shot just over the top from a narrow angle on the left and the corner that follows is headed away.

FULHAM BALL

Fulham again keep the ball but it ends up in the hands of Mark Bunn in the City goal. Norwich seem content to allow Fulham possession in the middle of the park and the Cottagers probing hasn't tested the keeper yet.

NORWICH THREATEN

Tettey feeds Wesley Hoolahan on the right and he sweeps it in towards Becchio again who fires a shot against a defender. Norwich have shown more penetration than Fulham so far.

ROVING RAPPORT

It's Bryan Ruiz to Berbatov and then on to Rodallega in the middle of the park. There's plenty of movement in advanced positions for Martin Jol's side but Alexander Tettey is working hard to break them up. His battle with new man Emmanuel Frimpong looks lively already.

FULHAM RESPOND

Fulham find Berbatov deep on the right and he drifts a cross to the far post which Norwich clear with Rodallega lurking for Fulham. Two passing sides are contesting things on an even footing so far.

LUCIANOHHH!

The first chance falls to Norwich and it's Becchio stretching for a poked centre by Elliott Bennett who linked up well with Javier Garrido deep on the left flank and Becchio stabbed it tamely at Mark Schwarzer. Norwich are dominating possession.

STOPPAGE EARLY ON

Dimitar Berbatov requires treatment early after Bradley Johnson left his foot in and the Bulgarian has a facial injury. Both teams will have been heartened to see Newcastle lose at Tottenham in the day's early game so they both have a chance to steal a march and gain a valuable three points today.

HERE WE GO

Here we go then. Howard Webb blows his whistle. Both teams in their home strips, Norwich yellow and green, Fulham white.

WELCOME ALONG

Welcome to Carrow Road for today's match. Chris Hughton hands Luciano Becchio his first start whilst Emmanuel Frimpong comes in for the visitors. The sides will line up as follows. We're about to get underway. Norwich: Bunn, Martin, Bassong, Turner, Garrido, Snodgrass, Tettey, Johnson, Elliott Bennett, Hoolahan, Becchio. Subs: Camp, Whittaker, Howson, Jackson, Surman, Kamara, Tierney. Fulham: Schwarzer, Manolev, Senderos, Hangeland, Riise, Sidwell, Frimpong, Duff, Ruiz, Berbatov, Rodallega. Subs: Etheridge, Petric, Karagounis, Hughes, Dejagah, Emanuelson, Kacaniklic.

COTTAGE INDUSTRY

Fulham were unlucky to go down 1-0 last weekend in an entertaining game with Manchester United during which they manufactured plenty of chances to win it themselves. Martin Jol used his myriad connections in Europe to bolster his squad in January though all of the arrivals have yet to start a game. AC MIlan's Urby Emanuelson, Eyong Enoh from Ajax, PSVs Stanislav Manolev and Emanuele Frimpong from Arsenal have all signed loan deals and will hope to make an impression upon the starting eleven today. Most pleasing for Jol will be that both Dimitar Berbatov and Brede Hangeland have shaken off knocks and should start. "The only injuries are still Kerim Frei and Mahamadou Diarra - everyone else is fine,” he said in the pre-match press conference. "Brede had a little ache and pain on his achilles, but after this weekend it was good so he was able to go and play for his country. We will make an assessment on Berbatov and I think, and hope, he will be in the squad."

CARROW ESCAPE

Averaging a goal a game, Chris Hughton evidently felt a lack of firepower was to blame for his side's slip following an encouraging start to the season, and responded by bringing in Leeds hotshot Luciano Becchio and the unknown quantity of Sierre Leonian loan signing Kei Kamara from the Kansas City Wizards. Becchio, who got two minutes in the goalless draw at QPR last weekend, looks in line for his full debut at Carrow Road today. Kamara hasn't played competitively since November so Hughton will bide his time with the man who has netted 31 times in 95 appearances for his MLS club. Elsewhere, Alexander Tettey and Anthony Pilkington are both doubtful and Ryan Bennett withdrew from the England U-21 squad in the week but should be fit to play. John Ruddy remains the Canaries only long-term absentee.

PREVIEW

It's getting tight in the bottom third of the Premier League. We've come to the point in the season when every team's fortunes can shift pretty dramatically one way or another week by week. Level on points in 14th and 13th respectively, Norwich City and Fulham will both hope that a string of good results in the coming months can prevent them from truly getting sucked into real danger as the business end of proceedings approaches. After one point from a possible 18 in the league and then humiliation at the hands of Luton in the FA Cup, the Canaries have steadied the ship a little with two draws of late. A first win since mid-December against perennial poor travellers Fulham would be a major boost to Chris Hughton's inconsistent outfit. Martin Jol's side have won only twice away from Craven Cottage this term, and three losses in their last four against the Manchester sides have disrupted an otherwise decent start to the year. The Cottagers thumped the Canaries 5-0 on the first day of the season and haven't lost to their East Anglian rivals in 11 encounters since 1986. Five places could potentially separate them by Sunday evening. It's that time of year.