Although the Red Devils find themselves in fifth place, they’ve experienced their fair share of unconvincing results in recent weeks, with both Tottenham and Wolves firmly on their tails.
However, Daniel Farke and his men have an even tougher job on their hands - with the Canaries currently at the bottom of the table as the gap between them and 19th-placed Watford continues to grow.
But the side have developed a formidable reputation against the so-called ‘big six’ - picking up draws against Arsenal and Spurs as well as shocking Manchester City 3-2 earlier this season.
Can they cause an upset once again? Here’s 90min’s preview of the Premier League clash.
Where to Watch
| When Is Kick Off? | Saturday 11 January |
| What Time Is Kick Off? | 15:00 (GMT) |
| Where Is It Played? | Old Trafford |
| TV Channel/Live Stream? | BBC Sport Final Score/BT Sport Score |
| Referee? | Anthony Taylor |
Team News
United will have to take on Norwich without the likes of Scott McTominay, Paul Pogba and Eric Bailly, with all three players out for the foreseeable future. McTominay is still suffering with a knee injury he picked up on Boxing Day and is expected to return to action in March.
Pogba has suffered setback after setback, with his latest issue revealed to be an ankle issue, causing him to miss the upcoming game against the Canaries. Bailly is still recovering from a knee injury and the defender’s return date is still unknown.
Harry Maguire is Solskjaer's main concern for the weekend. The centre back missed out on the Carabao Cup loss to City due to a hip problem he picked up during the FA Cup game against Wolves.
The Englishman is unlikely to return for the match against Norwich, while fellow centre backs Marcos Rojo and Axel Tuanzebe are doubts with muscle and hamstring knocks respectively.
On the other hand, Farke faces his own dilemmas. Leading goalscorer Teemu Pukki is a major doubt for the trip, having missed out on the Canaries’ FA Cup win over Preston due to a hamstring issue. The forward is unlikely to be fit enough for the next league fixture.
Josip Drmic has also been suffering with a hamstring issue, meaning their options up front are fairly limited, with the German coach turning to youngster Adam Idah for the latest FA Cup tie.
Predicted Lineups
| Manchester United | De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Jones, Williams; Matic, Fred; Rashford, Lingard, James; Martial. |
| Norwich City | Krul; Aarons, Zimmermann, Hanley, Byram; Tettey, Vrancic; Buendia, McLean, Cantwell; Idah. |
Head to Head Record
It doesn’t really come as a surprise that United hold the upper hand in this fixture, winning 38 times against the Canaries during their head to head record. Meanwhile, Norwich have conjured up just 17 wins against the Red Devils since their first encounter back in 1906.
During their most recent meeting, Ole and his squad came out victorious as they defeated Norwich City 3-1 at Carrow Road in October.
Recent Form
Ole’s most recent results have not been particularly impressive.
The Norwegian has failed to win any of his last three games in all competitions – losing 3-1 to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup, drawing 0-0 to Wolves in the FA Cup and knocking up a 2-0 defeat against Arsenal in the Premier League.
Moreover, he has only managed two victories alongside two defeats and a draw in the last five games - with the Red Devils siting five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea in the table.
However, it appears that the Canaries are on their way back to the Championship, having failed to win a league game in their past eight fixtures, picking up three draws and two defeats in their last five matches.
Here’s how the two teams have performed in their last five games in all competitions.
| Manchester United | Norwich City |
| Manchester United 1-3 Manchester City (7/1) | Preston 2-4 Norwich (4/1) |
| Wolves 0-0 Manchester United (4/1) | Norwich 1-1 Crystal Palace (1/1) |
| Arsenal 2-0 Manchester United (1/1) | Norwich 2-2 Tottenham (28/12) |
| Burnley 0-2 Manchester United (28/12) | Aston Villa 1-0 Norwich (26/12) |
| Manchester United 4-1 Newcastle (26/12) | Norwich 1-2 Wolves (21/12) |
Prediction
Expect Manchester United to enter this fixture feeling pretty fatigued, thanks to their large workload over the past week.
However, with Norwich severely slacking in attack, the Red Devils should have what it takes to secure the three points on Saturday.
Prediction: Manchester United 2-0 Norwich City
Source : 90min
