Date: Saturday, December 28 Venue: Carrow Road Kick-Off: 15:00 Can Norwich preserve their impressive home record against Manchester United when the champions visit Carrow Road in the Premier League on Saturday?
Team News
Norwich midfielder Jonny Howson faces a late fitness test after missing his side's last two games with a back injury. Defender Michael Turner is suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season in the 2-1 defeat to Fulham. Manchester United have injury concerns over Rafael, who was forced off against Hull with a groin injury, while Antonio Valencia is suspended after being sent off in that game. Phil Jones will miss the next two weeks with a knee injury. (bbc)
Key Stats
Norwich have beaten Manchester United on two of the three occasions they have hosted them in the Premier League. United have won five successive league and cup matches for the first time under David Moyes, and are aiming for a season's best fourth league win in a row. Only Fulham (35) have conceded more than the 31 league goals that Norwich have let in this season. United have won 4-0 in their last two encounters with Norwich, including in the League Cup in October.
Manchester United manager David Moyes will consider himself incredibly fortunate to have escaped the KC Stadium with all three points after his side's pulsating win over Hull on Boxing Day. United were 2-0 down after just fifteen minutes that day and were made to look incredibly ordinary against a side that was only just promoted back into the Premier League this summer. But, in true fashion, they rallied, and by hook or by crook salvaged a much needed win - and they will need another here if they are to stay in touch with the sides above them. In order to achieve that, Moyes's men will have to contend with an unfavourable statistic - Norwich have beaten United on two of the three occasions they have hosted them in the league. They won here last season, and if the champions thought they were in for an easy ride, they could find their opponents in the same sort of mood as they did the Tigers on Boxing Day. However, Norwich suffered a damaging defeat to Fulham on Thursday and have been whipped 4-0 in the last two encounters between these two sides. Chris Hughton, who's side take on Crystal Palace in a crunch clash on New Year's Day, may consider next week's game a more likely source of three points. Don't be surprised if that shows in his team selection. Prediction: 0-2
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
