Manchester United picked up all three points against relegation threatened Norwich City with a 1-0 win at Carrow Road. A defensive error by Sebastien Bassong which led to Juan Mata scoring the only goal of the game.
With this victory, Louis van Gaal’s men have now brought themselves back into the race for Europe. A single point is all that separates the Red Devils from fourth-placed Manchester City. While on the other end of the table, things don’t look as good for the Canaries. Alex Neil’s men now sit second-last in the standings with just two games left.
Here are five talking points from the game:
Lack of ambition
With the likes of Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Marouane Fellaini missing the game, Norwich City had the better chances in a frustratingly uneventful first half. The closest Norwich came to breaking the deadlock was when striker Cameron Jerome, who was left completely free in the penalty area, directed his header straight at David de Gea. The exasperation was clearly visible on Norwich boss Alex Neil’s face.
The only goal of the game came through a defensive blunder from centre-back Sebastien Bassong, who completely misjudged a lofted pass. Wayne Rooney capitalised on the error as he latched on to the pass and played it to an unmarked Juan Mata, who slotted the ball past John Ruddy with a composed finish.
Neither of the sides showed any real hunger, with the majority of the game being played at a pedestrian pace.
Questionable team rotation
The fixture against Norwich City saw Manchester United’s gaffer Louis van Gaal make a set of changes to the side that played against Leicester City last week.
In defence, Marcos Rojo moved to a more central position as Daley Blind was rested for the game, while Matteo Darmian filled in at left-back. In midfield, Juan Mata was brought in for Marouane Fellaini, who was serving a three-match suspension for his on-field brawl with Leicester City defender Robert Huth.
Juan Mata and winger Jesse Lingard switched positions, which led to the ace playmaker being isolated on the flank in the initial parts of the game. Lingard wasn’t that effective in central midfield either. Mata’s ability to dictate the flow of the game was wasted on the wing while Lingard’s pace couldn’t be put to use in the middle of the pitch.
Eyebrows were raised as key player Marcus Rashford, who has been one of the revelations of the Premier League season, was rested at such a crucial stage in the season.
Norwich’s survival hopes take a hit
This defeat against Manchester united has left Norwich City second from bottom, just above already relegated Aston Villa.
The Canaries just have two games left and they are five points away from safety. Scoring goals has been one of the major problems for Norwich, with their top scorer Dieumerci Mbokani finding the back of the net only five times all season. Alex Neil’s side also has the worst goal difference in the league after Aston Villa. The manager himself admitted after the match that survival might be well beyond his team.
With fellow relegation strugglers Newcastle United and Sunderland looking to be in no mood to drop points, relegation seems imminent for the Canaries.
Injuries to Manchester United’s players
The Red Devils were dealt a major blow early on as striker Anthony Martial suffered an ankle injury during the warm-up while the first half saw left-back Matteo Darmian stretchered off the field after the Italian collided with Canaries right-back, Ivo Pinto.
Martial's injury, if serious, could prove decisive in United’s bid for a top-four finish this season. The youngster has bagged nine league goals and three assists to his name in his first season for the club.
On the other hand, Matteo Darmian’s absence would leave the defence vulnerable to some extent, as it was clearly seen from the moment Cameron Borthwick-Jackson came on for him. The youngster couldn’t settle down in the game and made a set of errors as he gave possession away cheaply and also handled the ball in a dangerous region.
Although the youth academy graduate has performed well this season, defensive errors like these show that Borthwick-Jackson still has a lot to learn.
Boost for United’s Champions League hopes
The win over Norwich City leaves Manchester United just one point adrift of fourth-placed Manchester City, who are set to face Arsenal on Sunday. A slip up from the sky-blues would certainly add spice to this intense competition for the final Champions League qualification spot.
Also, with current Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola set to join City next season, the club cannot afford to lose out on the Champions League. A home defeat to Swansea has essentially taken West Ham United out of the competition for Europe’s elite tournament, hence United do have a little breathing space for now.
Louis van Gaal has stated that he will be supporting Arsenal on Sunday, as the Dutchman will be hoping to see Manuel Pellegrini’s side drop points.
