They’ll know come 3pm on Saturday.
For the Sky Blues travel to Luton in the Championship’s early kick-off, so by the time Boro’s game gets underway at the Riverside, Michael Carrick, his players and the fans will know what’s at stake and what’s up for grabs.
Carrick knows it will be impossible for his players to avoid the result of that early game. But insists Boro can’t focus on trying to react to whatever has happened at Kenilworth Road.
“Honestly, if it was the last game and we needed to know what result we needed, it might have a different twist,” said the head coach.
“The fact that, as it stands, it’s in our hands regardless of what happens, our sole focus has to be on winning the game on Saturday. If we do that then we’re in a better place going into the last game, regardless of what’s happened in the Coventry game.
“It’s not easy. Everyone probably will know the score. But our focus can’t be on that and trying to react to that.
“We’ve just got to focus on us and our game. It’s the only way. Because it’s in our own hands, and we want to take it a week further, we have to get that win.”
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“We’ve got a result to take care of on Saturday,” said Carrick.
“I know I say we’ve got two games and we know what’s possible, but we have to be ultra focused to take care of Saturday before thinking about anything else.”
Norwich head for the Riverside on Saturday bottom of the form table having won just one of their last 10 games, a run of form that resulted in the Canaries sliding out of play-off contention. And it also cost Johannes Hoff Thorup his job.
He was sacked this week, with Jack Wilshere stepping in as interim boss and the former Arsenal and England midfielder – who Carrick knows well from their playing days – will lead City for the first time on Saturday afternoon.
“Jack was a fabulous footballer and very unlucky with injuries,” said Carrick.
“In terms of knowing a lot about each other and what that means for this game, it doesn’t really offer much in terms of knowing what they’ll do this weekend.
“I’m pleased for him for the opportunity that’s come his way after coaching the Arsenal U18s and working his way up from that.
“Credit to him for that. But, in terms of knowing each other, I played against him a lot, played with him for England, I don’t think it’ll have any extra impact.”
