We're in the Guardian '10 things to look out for' this weekend....

4) Norwich academy is showing its worth
Where will Norwich be at when Stuart Webber elects to walk away in three years’ time? The club tied down 15 players to new contracts following promotion, as well as the manager, Daniel Farke, but extending the 35-year-old sporting director’s stay last week is perhaps their best move yet. Webber’s work is clear in a Norwich team who travel to Selhurst Park – where Crystal Palace have been defeated only four times this year – on Saturday. Webber, who said he plans to leave Norwich at the end of the 2021-22 season, pieced together a title-winning jigsaw, slashing the wage bill and placing an onus on a burgeoning academy. This summer the club’s net spend was £1.4m, half of which they paid for Sam Byram, one of only two permanent signings. The major investment was into rewarding those that got them this far, as well as adding to their pool of young talent, namely the England Under-19 midfielder Daniel Adshead from Rochdale. BF

• Crystal Palace v Norwich, Saturday 3pm.

Posted By: DrDublin, Sep 27, 12:37:14

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