During this soccer season, Doc’s Sports Service has teamed up with Strike Point Sports and Raphael Esparza, two of the top soccer handicappers, to provide weekly free soccer picks for English Premier League, MLS and Champions League matches. Check back each week for a new free pick. This week, Strike Point Sports has a free play on the total in the Norwich/Swansea match.

Do not expect too much high-flying action at the battle of the birds on Sunday as the Canaries square off against the Swans. Norwich will be returning home following two Premier League away matches last week that saw the squad go 1-1. Chris Hughton’s men sit just four points clear of the relegation zone and will be looking to add a bit more breathing room between them and Championship football next year. Swansea will be coming off a midweek Europa match on Thursday against St. Gallen.

Norwich City vs. Swansea City Betting Story Lines
Norwich has been an unpredictable team as of late. Panic within the squad reached a fever pitch following their blowout 7-0 loss to Manchester City at the beginning of November, but the team has had some favorable results since, going 3-2 in the five matches following. Chris Haughton has challenged his squad to build on their recent success against West Brom, and they have a prime opportunity facing Swansea at home and then league matches against two of the three teams at the bottom of the table, Sunderland and Fulham.

Swansea has been an up-and-down team as of late as well, going 2-2-2 in their last six. The Swans will be traveling to Carrow Road following their midweek fixture in the Europa league that saw the South Wales fog ground the Swans’ flight. Their travel headaches may not end there as they attempt to even up their away record at 4-4 this season after dropping two of their last three away matches. Swansea will need to grab points while they can as three of their next five matches come against teams in the top five and one match against Manchester United.
           
Norwich City vs. Swansea City Betting Odds and Trends
Norwich have amassed a pretty decent home record this season losing only twice, while tallying three wins and two draws. In the Canaries seven matches at home this year, “under” 2.5 has gone 4-3. Norwich has failed to score in five league matches this year. Swansea has failed to score in four out of its seven away matches this season.

The total is listed at 2.5 on Bovada, with the “over” available at -105 and the under juice at -125. Norwich is -105 at a “pick” while Swansea can be had at -125 as a pick.

Take Norwich/Swansea UNDER 2.5 (-137) (8:30 a.m., Sunday, Dec. 15)
Swansea are not the same club away as they are in Wales, and I think Norwich have shown to be inconsistent enough scoring on their end as well to make this totals play the right call in this one. Norwich netted twice last weekend, so we’re essentially going to go against them this time around against the Swans. I say 1-1 is a fair result here, and thus the under is the way to go