Although Manchester United are facing a much smaller club in Norwich City, they will no doubt be wary in this road fixture. Until last night, when United beat Partizan Belgrade 1-0 in UEFA Europa League action, they had not won a match of any sort away from Old Trafford since March!
Now they go for back to back away victories, against the Premier League’s penultimate side, who pulled off a massive upset on Sept 14 when they beat Manchester City. Let’s take a look at the team news for this one, starting with the Canaries, who will be short-handed again.
When Norwich beat City they were without the services of several key players, and that will be the case again here.
They are hopeful for the return of Ralf Fahrmann, but will be sans Cristoph Zimmermann, Grant Hanley, and Mario Vrancic?. The newly promoted side has spent most of the year with a host of fitness issues, and that has a lot to do with why they’re currently sitting 19th.
As for United, this is a must win, as they’re hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone. The mere concept of that just seems ridiculous for a club of Old Trafford’s size and power, but here we are. They’ll be without their most expensive and talented player, Paul Pogba, who continues to battle foot and ankle issues.
United must also play this game without the team’s player of the year award winner last season, Luke Shaw who has been out since August. Additionally, defender Axel Tuanzebe will be unavailable, due to the injury he suffered during warm-ups before the draw with Liverpool last Sunday.
Manchester United at Norwich City FYIs
United Starting XI Prediction: go to this link
Kickoff: 5:30 BST, Oct 27, Carrow Road
Referee: Stuart Atwell
Premier League Standings: Norwich City 19th, 7 points, Manchester United 14th, 10 points
Prediction: Manchester United 2, Norwich City 1
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
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