How Norwich have fared on the opening day in the top flight

Here we go then.
103 days since Simeon Jackson’s goal at Fratton Park put Norwich in the top flight, it’s finally time to sit back and watch Norwich City’s fifth Premier League campaign unfold before our eyes over the next nine months.
This afternoon’s game against Wigan kicks off Norwich’s 22nd top flight season and in the previous 21 games, Norwich can boast that they’ve won more than they’ve lost with eight victories, six draws and seven defeats. Norwich have won eight times on the opening day in the top flight, which have come in two bursts. After drawing with Everton on their First Division debut in 1972, Norwich lost the next three opening day games, before beating West Ham 3-1 at Upton Park in August 1977. That started a run of fine opening day performances. City beat Southampton at Carrow Road the following year, pulled off a fine 4-2 win at Everton in August 1979 and beat Stoke 5-1 in August 1980. Twenty five years ago this August Norwich had their only opening day goalless draw against Chelsea and two years later started another run of four wins in five opening day gamesThe last of these came on the opening day of the Premier League season in 1992/93 when Norwich came from 2-0 down at half-time to win 4-2. Since then, Norwich’s three other Premier League opening day games have seen just one point out of nine won and that was seven years ago when Darren Huckerby’s goal helped City to a 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace.
This season should be a cracker. Many pundits and pros initially said Norwich would go straight back down before recently changing their mind. My prediction? We’ll make loads of friends, play some great football and beat Manchester United at home and Arsenal away. We’ll finish 14th and start building for a second season in the top flight. But my big prediction this season is that it will be Paul Lambert’s last at the club.

Norwich’s opening day fixtures in the top flight:

72-73 Everton, home, 1-1

73-74 Wolves, away, 1-3

75-76 Man City, away, 0-3

76-77 Liverpool, away, 0-1

77-78 West Ham, away, 3-1

78-79 Southampton, home, 3-1

79-80 Everton, away, 4-2

80-81 Stoke City, home, 5-1

82-83 Man City, home, 1-2

83-84 Sunderland, away, 1-1

84-85 Liverpool, home, 3-3

86-87 Chelsea, away, 0-0

87-88 Everton, away, 0-1

88-89 Nottingham Forest, home, 2-1

89-90 Sheff Wed, away, 2-0

90-91, Sunderland, home, 3-2

91-92, Sheffield United, home, 2-2

92-93, Arsenal, away, 4-2

93-94, Man United, home, 0-2

94-95, Chelsea, away, 0-2

04-05, Crystal Palace, home, 1-1

P W D L F A

21 8 6 7 36 32