Cardiff come into this off a 1-1 home draw with Wrexham in the Championship opener — a result that flattered nobody. They were second-best for long spells against a direct, physical Wrexham side, and the stats will tell you they were lucky to escape with a point. Brian Barry-Murphy has them trying to play controlled possession football, the same style that got him noticed in League One, but the transition to the Championship is proving rocky. The injury list is a genuine problem: Will Fish is out until November with a hernia, Calum Chambers, Dylan Lawlor and Gabriel Osho are all doubtful. That's a backline being held together with tape and hope.

Norwich, meanwhile, arrive with a point to prove. They've been written off as a youth project — the Lotus Training Centre label sticks — but that's exactly the kind of disrespect that fuels a cup upset. They've got a 4-2-3-1 shape that's been drilled to death, and while their recent results are thin on the ground, the underlying numbers suggest a side that creates chances and defends with structure. The big blow is Ali Ahmed's ACL injury — he's likely done for the season — but that's one loss in a squad that's built for rotation. This is a cup tie, and cup ties reward the side that wants it more. Norwich want it.