Norwich City 0-1 Manchester United: 5 talking points as Cristiano Ronaldo settles tense encounter | Premier League 2021-22 

Cristiano Ronaldo's second-half penalty proved to be the difference as Manchester United secured a 1-0 victory at Norwich City in the Premier League on Saturday.

United interim manager Ralf Ragnick named his strongest lineup for the clash at Carrow Road. He had rested several regulars in the midweek Champions League draw with Young Boys.

Manchester United struggled to get going in the first half, but they managed to create some good chances before the break. Alex Telles hit the post with a free-kick, while Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Maguire forced fine saves from Norwich custodian Tim Krul.

The second half was a more even affair, with both sides fashioning decent chances. However, Norwich City were the better side in the opening 15 minutes. Teemu Pukki drew a sublime save from United goalkeeper David de Gea after some excellent technique in the box.

Manchester United were awarded a penalty in the 74th minute after Max Aarons was adjudged to have fouled Cristiano Ronaldo in the 18-yard area. The Portugal international dusted himself up and sent Krul the wrong way.

Norwich ended the game on the front foot, fashioning some notable chances as they strived to earn a share of the spoils. It took De Gea's full-stretch dive to twice keep out Ozan Kabak's header, while Billy Gilmour also went close for the hosts.

United eventually held on for the win, and will now turn their attention to their trip to Brentford on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Norwich will next be in action when they host Aston Villa on the same day.

On that note, here are five talking points from the keenly contested game at Carrow Road.

---

#5 Manchester United are back in contention for Champions League qualification

Manchester United climbed up to fifth spot in the points table.

The title race is increasingly looking like a three-way affair between Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea. That means Manchester United may have to settle for a top-four finish.

The Red Devils' inconsistent start to the campaign put them in danger of missing out on UEFA Champions League qualification. However, an upturn in performance in the last few weeks has put them back in the thick of things.

Following their win at Norwich City, Manchester United are now up to fifth in the table, joint-level,with fourth-placed West Ham on 27 points.

---

#4 Norwich City fail to find a way past the impressive David de Gea

David de Gea brought his A-game to Carrow Road.

On the overall balance of play, Norwich City arguably deserved to get at least a point from the game.

The Canaries controlled proceedings for large swathes, pushing Manchester United to the limit. They also fashioned enough clear opportunities to find the back of the net, but met an unbeatable object in David de Gea.

The Spain international has had his fair share of critics over the last few years, but is slowly getting back to his best form. The 31-year-old proved to be the difference between the two sides on Saturday evening. De Gea made a string of world-class saves to deny the hosts on multiple occasions.

The pick of the bunch came when his reflexes were on full show. He dived low to keep out Kabak's well-placed header from creeping into the bottom corner.

#3 Problems persist for Ralf Ragnick despite Manchester United's victory

Ralf Ragnick has gotten his Manchester United tenure off to a perfect start.

Much was made of Ralf Ragnick's appointment as Manchester United interim manager following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's sacking. The German tactician's methods are well-known. He was a mentor for several top German managers, including Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel.

His three matches in charge at United have returned two wins and a draw that was recorded with a second-string squad. More importantly, there have been two clean sheets in as many Premier League games. That is a tangible sign of progress from a team that struggled to shut out opponents in the not too distant past.

Despite the wins, there are still some issues Ragnick has to sort out at Manchester United.

Marcus Rashford was far from clinical in the final third, while Bruno Fernandes was also off-colour against Norwich City. The two full-backs did not offer nearly enough attacking threat. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo had a poor all-round game despite scoring the winner.

The win is all that matters for now, but Ragnick knows his team needs to improve further.

---

#2 Norwich City's defensive issues get exacerbated by Grant Hanley's early withdrawal

Dean Smith has defensive issues to worry about.

Dean Smith has a defensive dilemma on his hands at Carrow Road, with several of his first-team centre-backs currently on the treatment table. Matters exacerbated after Norwich City captain Grant Hanley was replaced in the 21st minute due to a shoulder injury following a tussle with Ronaldo.

A sign of how slim defensive options are for Eddie Howe lies in the fact that midfielder Jacob Sorensen came on for the 30-year-old Hanley.

Norwich City had to play for over 70 minutes against United with only one specialist centre-back. So they deserve credit for holding their own against The Red Devils.

---

#1 Cristiano Ronaldo the difference-maker once again

Cristiano Ronaldo scored Manchester United's winner from the spot.

Cristiano Ronaldo looked off the pace for most of the game against Norwich City, giving away many passes in the opening hour of the match. However, the Madeira native made a difference even when he was playing significantly below his best.

Despite the ringing boos of Norwich City fans anytime he touched the ball, the United number seven ended up having the last word on the night.

He won and converted the penalty, which proved to be the only goal of the game. Ronaldo now has 13 goals for United in all competitions this season, including seven in the league.

The goal against The Canaries means Cristiano Ronaldo has now scored against 166 different teams in his professional career - 120 clubs and 46 international teams. Recently, he scored his 800th goal for club (687) and country (115).