Norwich City Hall of Famer and Milk Cup winner Mick Channon is backing the Canaries to get the upper hand over Sunderland again in a Premier League survival shoot-out at Carrow Road.

The former City stalwart and now successful horse-racing trainer believes Alex Neil's squad can squeeze past the Black Cats on Saturday in a major test of their top flight credentials.

Norwich can move seven points clear of Sam Allardyce's squad with a home win, although the visitors would still have a game in hand.

Channon, who was part of Ken Brown's legendary squad that lifted the Milk Cup in 1985 against Sunderland in front of 100,000 at Wembley, still has a soft spot for the club where he scored 25 goals in 112 appearances.

'I loved my time at Norwich. Lovely club, lovely people and the fans are so good and loyal. I think they will stay up,' he said. 'I think they have to win on Saturday and I think they will. I reckon it will be 1-0.

'It will be hard. Big Sam will have Sunderland wound up and brilliantly prepared. But I like what I've seen of Norwich at times on the television this season. They try to play it right and I think their manager could go a long way. He seems well switched on.'

Channon still has fond memories of that 1-0 Wembley win 31 years ago over Sunderland and the celebrations.

'I just hope they do it for the fans who were always good to me,' he said, speaking at Newmarket's Craven meeting. 'Now that you have reminded me, they certainly enjoyed us beating Sunderland in the League Cup Final and that was a great day for us all but especially the fans. I like them to do well, I'll always have a soft spot for Norwich.'