Manchester United V Norwich: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info

Manchester United vs. Norwich sees a clash of two teams in need of some form. Louis van Gaal's United are on a run of five games without a win, and Alex Neil's Norwich have not won in four.

United remain heavy favourites to be the ones to arrest their bad run in this game, and they remain unbeaten at Old Trafford in the league where they have conceded just one league goal. 

Norwich have endured a difficult season on their return to the Premier League. The Canaries have just three wins under their belts. Their last—and only—away win in the competition was on 15 August against Sunderland.

Van Gaal stressed the need for his team to win this game, given its location, saying per the club's website:

"

The only answer is to win this game. It’s still difficult because we are playing in the Premier League, but at home you have to win, and that’s for sure. Norwich have had good results against top teams. What I always say, and that’s not any excuse, is that winning in the Premier League is not so easy.

"

He also accepted that results would have to change for the pressure on him to ease, saying: 

"

I have the full confidence of my board and my players, that is what I feel. But we have to get results, we have to win. We know that, the players know that, I know that and the members of staff know that. There is no doubt that we have to win because when you lose too much then even for me it is the end of the world.

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Neil acknowledged the size of the challenge facing his side, telling Norwich City TV (h/t the club's website)

"

It's going to be tough. They haven't lost a home league game all season, so it's going to be a tough game. They've got good quality players - they've also got a lot of injuries. Ultimately though, we've got to worry about ourselves. We have to pose as many problems as we can. 

We've equipped ourselves pretty well against the bigger teams away from home and this game should be no different. 

If we can perform as well as we can and hopefully take that grit and determination we had against Everton, then hopefully that will give us a good chance.

"

Given the relative expectations of both clubs, it is only Van Gaal who will be under significant pressure should the result go against his side.

Date: Saturday, December 19, 2015

Time: 3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET

Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester, England

TV Info: USA (U.S. only)

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra (U.S. Only)

Form Lines

Manchester United: WDDDLL

Norwich City: LWLDLD

Team News

United's website reports that Matteo Darmian, Jesse Lingard, Marcos Rojo, Luke Shaw and Antonio Valencia are all absent through injury. Bastian Schweinsteiger remains suspended. 

In addition, Van Gaal told MUTV (h/t ManUtd.com):

"

The players who have trained this week are [Wayne] Rooney, [Ander] Herrera, [Chris] Smalling and [Ashley] Young is also coming back I think, but we have to wait and see.

We have to decide if they can play or not because some players like Herrera have already been "out of the office" for three or four weeks.

"

Given Van Gaal's typical approach to reintroducing previously injured players, it seems a decent bet that those players will start from the bench, though of Rooney the manager said, via Eurosport: "Rooney has been out for more or less two weeks so it is possible that he will play but we have to wait and see."

Canaries.co.uk reports that Andre Wisdom and Matt Jarvis will both be absent for Norwich but that Wes Hoolahan will be available in spite of leaving the Everton game with an injury.

Predicted Lineups

Given the number of players potentially returning from injury, the United XI is hard to predict. The above works on the assumption that none of the players who have returned to training will return to the starting XI. The most likely change to the above would be the inclusion of Rooney, either in place of Marouane Fellaini or with one of Michael Carrick or Morgan Schneiderlin missing out to Fellaini in the centre of midfield. 

There is also the potential for a surprise start for Nick Powell, with Dean Jones of Bleacher Report hearing that Powell is pushing for a starting role.

With BBC Sport reporting that John Ruddy is subject to a club investigation concerning "footage which appears to show Ruddy in a scuffle in a city nightlife district on Sunday," Declan Rudd will surely keep his place in Norwich's goal.

Ryan Bennett has deputised for Russell Martin at centre-back, allowing Martin to cover for the injured Wisdom, and will presumably continue to do so. 

In midfield, Jonny Howson could play on the right in place of the creative and direct Nathan Redmond with the veteran Gary O'Neil used in the centre of midfield. The above selection is probably the more attacking of the two options.

Players to Watch

Fellaini's goal against Bournemouth on Saturday was a remarkable piece of improvisation. Since his return to regular action, he has been a focal point of United's attack, creating three chances against both West Ham United and Wolfsburg. His goal against Bournemouth confirmed his place as one of United's most dangerous attacking weapons, for better or worse. 

Michael Regan/Getty Images

For Norwich, having Wes Hoolahan available is key. He has registered five assists in the league, from his average of 1.9 key passes per game, as well as two goals. 

Redmond's four league goals so far this season mark him out as a key player for Norwich, and United will have to be mindful of his speed and incision on the counter-attack.

Key Battle

Another game at Old Trafford, another run out for United's attack against a presumably deep-lying defence. Van Gaal desperately needs his side to start scoring again, and it is the same old story at Old Trafford. United's attack vs. Norwich's defence will be the key battle in this one.  

Odds

Manchester United: 49/100 

Draw: 7/2

Norwich: 15/2

Odds for the game correct at the time of writing, per Odds Shark.

All advanced statistics per WhoScored.com.