How Manchester United Will Line Up Against Norwich City

Having beaten Liverpool 1-0 in the Capital One Cup third round, Manchester United must now face Norwich City at Old Trafford with the prize of momentum in sight for David Moyes after his team showed their mettle to come back and win against Stoke at the weekend in a thrilling 3-2 home victory.

The hat-trick hero of this fixture in the league last year, Shinji Kagawa, may be rested after playing for the full 90 minutes against the Potters, with Moyes set to rotate his team and give the night off to his key players.

Yet while the League Cup may not be a priority for the new United manager, he is unlikely to ignore its potential value as a catalyst to lead into greater successes in the future.

Sir Alex Ferguson's third reign of domination was ignited by a win in the competition back in 2006 that set his final great team on a winning path that would eventually see them lift the Champions League in Moscow along with five Premier League titles.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho enjoyed a similar boost after securing the League Cup for the London club in 2005, which helped to catapult him and his team to two consecutive league wins.

With the trophy, now presented as the Capital One Cup, a proven kingmaker when it comes to creating serial winners at the top of English football, Moyes will be well aware of its possible importance to his early term as United manager.

Norwich will arrive at Old Trafford keen to chase their own agenda too, however, with the form book hardly offering Chris Hughton's men much in the way of generosity considering their recent 3-1 and 4-1 losses to Chelsea and Arsenal respectively.

According to Metro's Gary Gowers, there is talk of a mini-boycott for their cup match against United, with the Canaries' away fans wary of travelling to Manchester at great cost to witness another insipid showing like the one produced in the dull home 0-0 draw against Cardiff at the weekend.

Both managers have much to prove to their supporters, and while the League Cup cannot compare in importance to their Premier League commitments, the showdown between these two teams will be an excellent opportunity to boost morale, generate some good news and motivate their reserve players.

Read on to see how United could line up against Norwich in the Capital One Cup.

Team News

Marouane Fellaini is unavailable for selection due to being cup-tied after having already appeared in the competition this season for Everton against Stevenage back in August.

In terms of injuries, United appear to have a clean bill of health at present, with even Darren Fletcher now back in action for the reserves. The Scot featured for the U-21's on Monday night, however, and will not be considered to face Norwich.

However, Moyes has suggested that he will rotate the team and give the squad's fringe players an opportunity to show what they can do, according to Mark Spence of the Mirror.

Norwich will be without the services of Elliot Bennett, who is a long-term injury concern for the Canaries, and is unlikely to feature again in 2013. Defensive midfielder Alex Tettey and striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel are doubts.

What Threats Will Norwich City Pose?

Should Van Wolfswinkel miss out on his side's trip to Manchester, Norwich will have other options to lead the line, with the Dutchman absent from the team's previous League Cup victories this season against Bury and Watford.

Johan Elmander and Gary Hooper instead featured for the Canaries, with exciting former-Birmingham wing prospect Nathan Redmond adding a dangerous end product at speed down the flanks.

It's likely that Hughton will plump for his favoured 4-5-1 formation, packing the midfield with the likes of Bradley Johnson, Leroy Fer, Anthony Pilkington or Wes Hoolahan, while Robert Snodgrass adds another wide threat from the wing.

United's own wingers and full-backs must be ready to get back and shut down Snodgrass and Redmond to prevent their deliveries from putting balls into the box.

Moyes' team should be well prepared to weather any aerial battles, but there's no harm in reducing risk by preventing the visitors' wide-play growing into the game.

That's not to say that Norwich are only interested in crossing the ball. With their five-man midfield moving up to support their striker, Johnson and Co. will look to carve out chances through the middle.

Closing down the Canaries and ensuring their players are prevented from taking an extra yard or so of pass to fire off a shot at David de Gea will be key, as will the disruption of Norwich's key creative talents, Hoolahan and Pilkington.

Goalkeeper

GK: David de Gea

While rotation may see players swap in and out in other areas of the team, the Spaniard hardly looks in need of a rest.

Continuity is key for goalkeepers, and De Gea should start in goal.

Defence

FB: Fabio and Alexander Buttner

Cover for United's full-backs is thin and relatively untested at present, with Fabio especially under-played and reportedly growing alienated by Moyes' reluctance to play the Brazilian.

He could well feature on the right with Buttner taking the left-back swap, filling in for Rafael and Evra respectively.

Both Fabio and his fellow reserve full-back offer plenty going forward, which could be enough to overwhelm an out-of-form Norwich side who have proved to be quite fragile when probed by teams able to surround them in numbers.

CB: Rio Ferdinand and Chris Smalling

Jonny Evans and Phil Jones appear to have become Moyes' preferred pairing in central defence of late, meaning that both centre-backs could be rested for the weekend's Premier League away fixture against Fulham.

Luckily, Smalling will be ready and willing to step into the breach with either Ferdinand or Vidic coming in to add experience and leadership at the back after overcoming their recent minor injury niggles.

This arrangement would enable Moyes to meter out some valuable game time to one of his veteran defenders as well as Smalling, keeping the dynamic duo of Evans and Jones fresh for more important matches.

Midfield

CM: Ryan Giggs, Anderson and Tom Cleverley

Having performed so well against Real Sociedad in the Champions League, Giggs could enjoy a start against Norwich to keep the veteran midfielder's match readiness ticking over.

Giggs could drop deeper into a deep-lying playmaker role, pinging passes across the park and making surges from box to box when the opportunity to do so presents itself.

Alongside the Welshman, Moyes may be prepared to offer Anderson another chance to prove his worth in the middle.

The rotund Brazilian's days at Old Trafford may be numbered unless he can play his way back into his new manager's plans.

Tom Cleverley could complete the trio, with Phil Jones as a more defensively sound alternative should Moyes decide that the midfielder needs some time to recover from the Stoke game after having been out with a shoulder injury prior to the weekend.

Attack

Wings: Danny Welbeck and Wilfried Zaha

Adnan Januzaj looks to be a confirmed part of United's first-team squad now, which could see the youngster also rested for Fulham.

In his place as the team's defence-breaking dribbler could come Zaha, who is yet to play a competitive game (the Community Shield doesn't count) for his new club after arriving from Crystal Palace in the summer.

With the exciting young winger stretching the play and taking on his markers on the right, Welbeck could well get the nod to start on the left due to his good work rate and link-up play when cutting-in from wide.

Together they could offer plenty of penetration and support to both the lone forward and their teammates in midfield.

Should Buttner surge forward on the over-lap, Welbeck could even find himself roaming narrower and deeper as a more central presence in the attack.

ST: Javier Hernandez

Chicharito scored the winner in United's first Capital One Cup game of the season against Liverpool and was again the man to snatch the deciding strike against Stoke at the weekend.

His reward could well be a starting berth in the team to face Norwich at home.

The Mexican may remain a goalscorer first and foremost and a footballer second, but his all-round play is improving while his work rate has never been questionable.

Should he receive the necessary support from Welbeck and Zaha from wide, and Anderson and Co. driving up from midfield, Hernandez shouldn't have too many problems playing as United's only out-and-out striker against the Canaries at Old Trafford.

How Will Untied Line Up Against Stoke?

Here is the potential United line-up to play Norwich at home in the Capital One Cup:

4-5-1

GK: De Gea

DF: Fabio, Ferdinand, Smalling, Buttner

DM: Giggs

MF: Cleverley, Anderson

W: Zaha, Welbeck

ST: Hernandez

Hughton prefers to pack the midfield and play a 4-5-1, and Moyes may respond in kind so that United's second-string selection are not overrun by Norwich's hard-working and strong men in the middle. This will mean that wingers must put the extra effort in to create a consistent and solid supply chain between the team's spine and Hernandez so that Mexican does not become isolated up top as a lone striker.

Due to his relative isolation, and the flair of both potential wide players, United's formation would function more like a 4-3-3 in attack, with Welbeck cutting inside and Zaha taking opponents on directly.