Manchester United vs. Norwich: 5 Things We Learned About the Champions

Pop quiz time.

Discipline: Interpretation.

Focus: Football matches, current.

Facts: Manchester United defeated Norwich City 2-0 on Saturday in the Premier League. Sir Alex Ferguson's team struggled to create chances but broke the deadlock in the 68th minute.

More facts: United won by two clear goals but turned in its weakest performance of the season in the absence of a few first-team regulars.

More facts: Norwich City created chances of its own and feels like it deserved something out of the match.

Assignment: Convince me that Manchester United isn't happy with Saturday's match.

Ready? Go.

I'm waiting.

Done?

Okay, then. Let's get these two things out of the way as quickly as possible so that we're all clear.

One: Manchester United played its worst match of the season Saturday against Norwich City.

Two: Nobody at Manchester United gives a flip.

If he wants to turn Arsenal's season around, Arsene Wenger should be taking notes.

It's as simple as this, really, and it has been for decades now at Old Trafford. Manchester United knows how to win even when it plays poorly.

Saturday certainly qualifies. United sleep-walked through the first half without creating much of anything. The midfield was invisible. The defense looked slow. The forwards seemed disinterested.

The second half wasn't much better. When Fergie's team did score, it came almost from nowhere. Forget the fact that United broke the deadlock on the last of three consecutive corners: The goal served as the Red Devils' best attack of the day until then.

And it came in the 68th minute. The 68th minute!

A better team would have punished Manchester United, but that's not the point.

The point is, Sir Alex Ferguson has made a legend out of himself—and a consistent winner out of Manchester United—by winning when he needs to, even if it means sacrificing style for results.

Time after time after time over the last two and a half decades, United has done exactly what it did Saturday: Play average to below-average football against an inferior team and win anyway.

It's become an artform as much as anything Wenger and his sexy football ever achieved at Arsenal.

And it's been infinitely more effective.

Come next spring, no one will remember how poorly Manchester United played against Norwich on Saturday. The only remnant of the match will be the three points safely resting in United's column in the table.

1. United Doesn't Need to Play Its Best to Win

Like I said before, we already knew that.

Didn't we?

Over the years, Manchester United has formed its own cottage industry out of winning matches it should draw or even lose.

Saturday served as a perfect example.

Norwich played well enough to earn a draw. The Canaries didn't deserve a win, but they created enough chances to get a draw.

If not for a combination of poor finishing and bad luck on the part of Anthony Pilkington, Norwich would have done just that.

2. United Is Bullet-Proof

Manchester United got lucky Saturday.

Leading 1-0 after Anderson's opener, United escaped punishment for lax defending when Anthony Pilkington hit the inside of the post with his deflected shot in the second half.

Let me say that again: The inside of the post.

How exactly a deflected shot hits the inside of the post and doesn't go in—that will remain one of life's great mysteries.

This much is certain. That lucky bounce changed the game. Instead of being tied, United kept its lead and eventually doubled it through Danny Welbeck.

If that had been Arsenal, the goal would have gone in. And Norwich would have gotten an own goal or two.

But this is United and United is bullet-proof.

3. Fergie Isn't Afraid to Experiment

Rio Ferdinand: on the bench.

David De Gea: ditto.

Ryan Giggs: same.

Ashley Young: not even that lucky.

What does it all mean? Alex Ferguson is not afraid to experiment with his lineup.

It's hard to blame him. He has plenty of great options available and the opponent provided a good chance to experiment.

All the tinkering surely led to at least some of United's poor performance, but it worked.

It will probably continue.

4. Danny Welbeck Does Nothing but Score

Danny Welbeck doesn't have the speed of Javier Hernandez.

He doesn't have the skill of Wayne Rooney or Dmitar Berbatov.

He doesn't have the experience of Michael Owen, but he scores a lot.

Welbeck scored again Saturday against Norwich City, bringing his season total to five in seven appearances.

There's nothing fancy at all about Welbeck. He's an opportunist with a keen eye for goal.

That's exactly how his job description reads, which is why he's so valuable to Manchester United.

5. Chicharito Isn't Quite Back

Javier Hernandez started his first game after a brief injury layoff.

His time away from the lineup proved costly.

Chicharito looked a bit off the pace against Norwich, but that's to be expected. As he regains fitness, he should get back to his previous form.