ALEX Neil is expecting an open game when his Norwich City team host fellow Premier League new boys Bournemouth on Saturday (3pm).

The two sides have made identical starts to life in the top flight after both securing promotion from the Sky Bet Championship last season, with Eddie Howe’s Cherries also winning one, drawing one and losing two of their opening four matches this term.

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Neil, speaking to Norwich City TV on Friday, thinks each team will be going out to pick up maximum reward at Carrow Road.

“It’s three important points that are up for grabs and I think both teams will want to try and get them on the board,” he said.

“It will show where we’ve come from, obviously being in the Championship last year to the Premier League this year, and how we’re going to adapt this season going forward.

“I think it will be an attacking game. Bournemouth are not too dissimilar to us, in the sense that they want to go and play on the front foot and try to implement their style of play.

“I expect two teams to go and try and win the game, and hopefully that should make it entertaining.”

City’s manager was keen to emphasise the positives when reflecting on their start overall, but admitted that he expects his players to improve on their showing in the 3-0 defeat to Southampton.

"I’m happy with the fact that with our first three performances, I thought we played really well,” commented Neil, whose first game in charge of the Canaries was against Bournemouth in January.

“I thought we gave a good account of ourselves and created a lot of opportunities and probably should have scored more goals.

“We should have more points on the board based on how we’ve played, but in the last game we let ourselves down a little bit. We didn’t do as well as we should have done, and now I’m looking for a response come the game on Saturday.”

ALEX NEIL: BOTH TEAMS WILL GO FOR IT

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