'Nerves and emotions will decide derby'

With second in the form table hosting second in the actual table, this weekend's East Anglian derby is lining up to be one of the most important fixtures of its time.

Ipswich will take heart that they regained the derby crown earlier in the season, but fans and players will know 'them up the road' are having a resurgence since that 3-1 win at Portman Road one sunny Sunday afternoon in October.

And that is why nerves and emotions will be the decider of Saturday's game at Carrow Road.

Passion will either drive both sides to go all out in a potential thriller of a game.

Or nerves will make both sides play a cautious, dull game - with players being afraid of making the one mistake that could make them the headlines for the wrong reason.

The thing is, both sides realistically need a win. Norwich to keep a play-off place hope alive, Ipswich to put some distance between second and third place.

That's why it is hard to see this derby being anything short of a gung-ho thriller.