GAME DAY
TEAM NEWS
Norwich midfielder Jonny Howson will face a fitness test on the back injury that has kept him out for two matches.
Defender Michael Turner is suspended after receiving his fifth yellow card of the season on Boxing Day.
Manchester United right-back Rafael is doubtful after coming off with a groin injury against Hull.
Antonio Valencia is suspended after picking up a red card in that game, while Phil Jones is out for a fortnight with a knee injury.
MATCH PREVIEW
Norwich may sit with three teams between them and the bottom three but Chris Hughton will not be fooled by that; one bad day and they could be in the relegation zone themselves.LAWRO'S PREDICTION
"Apart from Rio Ferdinand, whoever else it is at centre-back - out of a combination of any two of Phil Jones, Jonny Evans or Chris Smalling - just seems to lack an experienced head that will allow the other defender to concentrate on their own game."
The
Boxing Day defeat at home to Fulham was damaging enough in itself
without being seriously compounded by away wins for Sunderland and
Crystal Palace which drew Norwich further back into the discomfort zone.
The likeable Hughton now has something of a selection
dilemma; does he take the view that New Year's Day and the trip to
Palace is such a six-pointer that it's worth preserving the legs of some
of his key men against United - a match they might lose anyway,
whatever team he picks?
I don't see the Norwich boss going down that route. After all, Norwich beat United in this game last season, and what better way to get tiredness out of your legs and confidence coursing through your veins than a really good display against the champions?
They have some really good players at Carrow Road, and with Gary Hooper beginning to show that goals are his stock in trade, I still firmly believe that they are good enough to stay up - but they are just a defeat or two from a real crisis.
United seem to have ridden out their own tempest with some impressive character. Three consecutive league wins have put them back on the margins of the title race and calmed the nerves at Old Trafford.
In fact, United seem happier away from home at the moment - they have not lost in 10 trips over the course of more than three months.
Less than three weeks ago, David Moyes' side were ninth, 13 points behind the leaders, now they are seventh having cut the deficit to eight points. If they can hang in there until Van Persie and Vidic are fit, United will ensure that the leading pack need to keep glancing over their shoulders now and again.
As the announcer on the London Underground says: "Mind the Gap".
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head- Norwich have beaten Manchester United on two of the three occasions they have hosted them in the Premier League.
- But United have won 4-0 the last two times that the teams have met, including in the League Cup in October.
- Norwich have only lost four of their 18 Premier League home games in 2013.
- The Canaries have picked up five points from the 15 available so far in December.
- Only Fulham (35) have conceded more than the 31 league goals that Norwich have let in this season.
- Gary Hooper has scored in each of Norwich's last four home games, and has scored four of their last six league goals.
- They 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.
- United have done better on the road than at Old Trafford season. They have earned 17 points from nine away games, and 14 from their nine home games.
- The Red Devils have not lost away from home in any competition since Manchester City defeated them 4-1 in September (W6, D4)
- source:bbcsports
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