Domestic away drought to end?
It is exactly eight months sinceUnitedlast left aPremier Leagueaway ground with three points. Some of the resilience they showed at Crystal Palace in late February was evident in the gritty 1-0 win at Partizan Belgrade and the majority ofOle Gunnar Solskjaer’sfirst-teamers are available for Norwich.
Norwich claimed the prized scalp ofManchester Citylast month but that 3-2 triumph remains their last win in all competitions. However awkward a Sunday tea-time trek to Carrow Road appears, the Norwich squad is injury ravaged and United’s trip is reasonably well timed.
“We have to try to climb Mount Everest at the moment without any tools, “Norwich coach Daniel Farke said of the injury list.
Martial to start?
The removal of Anthony Martial on the hour mark in Belgrade hinted at his inclusion in the XI at Norwich and Solskjaer said in the press room he was mulling over a Martial-Marcus Rashford axis.
In spite of his penalty in Belgrade , Martial was tentative and ring-rusty on his first start in over eight weeks. Daniel James is undroppable, regardless of where he plays and Andreas Pereira is Solskjaer’s blind spot, and his undroppable status could be all but confirmed. up against Liverpool could line up again.
Williams or Young?
Luke Shaw has been undergoing warm weather training in Dubai, so it is unfeasible he could even make the plane to Norwich on Sunday. Brandon Williams was superb in the win over Partizan Belgrade and can at least expect to make the 18 again in Norfolk.
Ashley Young was rested for the Serbia trip and the relative success of the 3-4-1-2 at Liverpool should ensure he comes back in at Norwich, irrespective of how well Williams performed on Thursday night.
Same midfield three?
Scott McTominay is a certain starter and James Garner is unlikely to get a second start in a week. Fred was an unused substitute at the Partizan Stadium and the absence of Paul Pogba makes his selection at Norwich inevitable.
Pereira has started the last six Premier League games and Juan Mata did little against Partizan to suggest he would retain his place at Norwich. Solskjaer suggested Nemanja Matic would return to England in time for Norwich but Garner may have pushed him to the back of the midfield pecking order. Matic is no longer needed.
Rojo reprieved?
Marcos Rojo has gone from surplus to substitute to starter in the space of two months. Axel Tuanzebe’s hip strain and the switch to a back three may have prolonged Rojo’s United career and he performed respectably against Liverpool and Partizan.
Louis van Gaal bought Rojo partly because he was left-footed amid his obsession with a left and right-footed central defensive duo. That balance has proven useful in United’s recent performances with a three-man defense.
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