Manchester United will be aiming to end their four-game winless streak in the Premier League, when they take on Norwich City on Sunday evening.
Manchester United will be hoping to register their first win in five matches in the 2019-20 Premier League, when they travel to Carrow Road to clash against newly-promoted Norwich City this weekend.
Norwich City find themselves in the relegation zone, having collected just seven points from nine matches upon returning to the Premier League. Daniel Farke’s men have looked dangerous in attack, but defensive issues have held them back from flourishing, as they haven’t won any of their four games since their shock 3-2 win over reigning champions Manchester City, with their latest game ending in a goalless draw against Bournemouth.
Manchester United too are without a win in their last four matches, following a 1-0 win over Leicester City. The Red Devils, currently 15th in the table, managed to end Liverpool’s perfect start to the season last weekend and followed it up with a 1-0 win over Partizan Belgrade in the UEFA Europa League. Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be hoping that his side are able to carry that momentum and return to winning ways this weekend.
Manchester United and Norwich City will be meeting each other after over three years and ahead of their latest encounter, we at The Hard Tackle take a closer look at both the teams.
Team News & Tactics
Norwich City
Norwich City boss Daniel Farke has a number of injury issues to contend with as Timm Klose, Christoph Zimmerman and Grant Hanley have all been ruled out for the foreseeable future, while Ralf Fahrmann and Mario Vrancic are also major doubts for the Manchester United clash. Ben Godfrey, who was subbed off with a problem in the last game, is fit and available, handing the Canaries a boost.
Former Newcastle United star Tim Krul is the undisputed first-choice between the sticks for the hosts. Max Aarons and Jamal Lewis are the obvious starters in the full-back slots, while Godfrey should once again pair up with Ibrahim Amadou at the heart of the Norwich defence on Sunday.
Experienced campaigner Alexander Tettey will be entrusted with the responsibilities of shielding the defence and recycling possession in the middle of the park. Fellow central midfielders Moritz Leitner and Kenny McLean will have the licence to press forward and join up in attack.
The chief creative threat for Norwich comes from the wide areas that will be occupied by Emiliano Buendia and promising youngster Todd Cantwell. Teemu Pukki started the season with a bang, but has gone off the boil a bit in recent weeks. He will be hoping to get back to goalscoring ways this weekend.
Probable Lineup (4-1-4-1): Krul; Aarons, Godfrey, Amadou, Lewis; Tettey; Buendia, Leitner, McLean, Cantwell; Pukki
Manchester United
Injury issues aren’t letting up for Manchester United as of yet, as they continue to be without the services of key first-team members in Paul Pogba, Luke Shaw, Axel Tuanzebe, Nemanja Matic along with Diogo Dalot, while Eric Bailly and Timothy Fosu-Mensah are long-term absentees.
Solskjaer is expected to make a number of changes to the side that started in the midweek clash against Partizan, although Manchester United are likely to continue with the three-man backline once again. David de Gea should return in goal in place of Sergio Romero, having been rested for the trip to Serbia.
Victor Lindelof should also return to the starting XI, but Harry Maguire, who captained the team on Thursday, and Marcos Rojo are expected to hold on their places in the side. Aaron Wan-Bissaka should start as the right wing-back once again, while Ashley Young is likely to replace Brandon Williams on the opposite side, despite the youngster’s promising display in the midweek.
Scott McTominay has become an ever-present figure in the middle of the park for Manchester United and that is unlikely to change anytime soon. James Garner made a solid impression against Partizan, but is expected to make way for Fred, who will get another opportunity to nail down a place for himself in the lineup.
Jesse Lingard made his return from injury in the midweek, but is unlikely to start on Sunday, as is the case for Anthony Martial, who scored against Partizan. Andreas Pereira will return to the side as the No. 10 with Marcus Rashford and Daniel James forming the two-pronged attack for Manchester United.
Probable Lineup (3-4-1-2): de Gea; Lindelof, Maguire, Rojo; Wan-Bissaka, McTominay, Fred, Young; Pereira; Rashford, James
Key Stats
- Manchester United have won six of their eight Premier League away games against Norwich City, losing at Carrow Road in April 2005 and November 2012. Their last two visits there have finished in 1-0 wins.
- None of the last 12 Premier League meetings between Norwich and Manchester United have ended in draws, with Norwich winning three and losing nine, since a 2-2 draw in December 1993.
- Manchester United are winless in eight Premier League away games (D3 L5), their longest such run in the top-flight since a streak of 11 between February-September 1989. They havve also failed to score more than once in each of these eight games, their longest such run since May 1987 (11 games).
- Norwich could become the first promoted side to win a Premier League game against both Manchester clubs in the same season since both Wolves and Portsmouth did so in 2003-04.
- Manchester United’s next goal will see them become the first team in Premier League history to score 2000 goals in the competition.
Player to Watch
Teemu Pukki
After a sensational start in what is his debut Premier League campaign, Norwich City striker Teemu Pukki has seen his form hit a downslide. The 29-year-old Finnish centre-forward netted six goals in his first five league games and set up two more, but hasn’t been directly involved in a goal in the subsequent four matches.
Pukki’s form has clearly had an impact on Norwich’s results, as they have failed to score in three of these four matches. The former Celtic striker has shown how deadly he can be in front of goal and the Canaries need him to step up in a big way this weekend, if they are to add Manchester United to their list of scalps this season.
Prediction
Norwich City 0-1 Manchester United
Norwich City have lost three of their last four matches (D1) and have managed to find the back of the net just once in those four games. Manchester United are also without a win in their last four league games (D2 L2), but their display against Liverpool, and the subsequent win against Partizan in Europe, should give them some confidence going into Sunday’s game.
Both of the Canaries’ wins this season have come at home, while Manchester United have been poor on their travels. However, with Norwich struggling to find the back of the net recently and Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial back among the goals for the Red Devils, we at The Hard Tackle are expecting Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men to edge this one narrowly.