Vaughan: Back to battle for Canaries

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Norwich City v Leicester City

Norwich City will be keen to keep their good form going when they host Leicester City in the FA Cup fifth round at Carrow Road on Saturday.

The Canaries have been flying high in the Premier League this season and find themselves in a comfortable eighth position in the standings, just four points adrift of Liverpool after their promotion from the Championship last season.

Paul Lambert’s side’s sterling form has seen them lose just once in their last nine fixtures in all competitions and with a home record which boasts only three defeats, Leicester will approach the cup clash with much caution.

The Foxes are one of five Championship sides still in the competition after sending Swindon crashing out in the fourth round.

Nigel Pearson’s men have lost their last two away games, to Watford and Brighton, and sit in mid-table in the Championship, nine points away from the play-off spots.

Norwich have the edge over their visitors after doing a double on the Foxes in the Championship last season, handing them a 4-3 defeat in their last encounter at Carrow Road.

Neither side have ever won the FA Cup as the Canaries seek to progress past the fifth round for the first time since reaching the semi-finals in 1992.

John Pantsil and Sol Bamba are back from the Africa Cup of Nations to boost Leicester’s defence ahead of the trip to Norfolk.

Former Manchester United trainee Danny Drinkwater injured his foot during their defeat at Watford on Tuesday night and is still awaiting results of an X-ray. However, the midfielder is cup-tied after playing for Barnsley in the FA Cup during a loan spell earlier this season.

Goalkeeper Conrad Logan and defender Liam Moore are also cup-tied as on-loan striker Nathan Delfouneso comes into contention after his parent club Aston Villa were dumped out in the previous round.

For Norwich, James Vaughan (knee) could play after being sidelined for several months, while Marc Tierney (groin/pelvis) and Zak Whitbread (hamstring) are also in contention.

The Canaries will still be without Daniel Ayala (hamstring), Adam Drury (groin), Jonny Howson (knee) and Declan Rudd (ankle), who are all suffering long-term injuries.