It's not often you got to a match at Old Trafford and think more about the next home game!, United are on a run of four consecutive games with Premiership, champions league and FA cup but most people attentions were get this game over without incident and get the Madrid game on.
United line up was to be the big news in view of the huge game on Tuesday night and RVP and Rooney started and Kagawa a surprise inclusion and a welcome return of Vidic and Evans at the back.
United started the game very well and pinned Norwich on the backfoot for most of the game. Rooney and RVP combined well on the 16th minute to see RVP loom on goal but brave goalkeeping from Mark Bunn kept the United forward out. Carrick had a half chance but again Bunn was equal to it. Carrick and Anderson were bossing the midfield and Kagawa was a constant thorn with his delicate passing and movement.
It wasn't until injury time that United broke the deadlock when a Valencia cross was met by RVP toe and the ball fell to Kagawa who brushed the ball into the net. Norwich looked deflated as they had defended defiantly over the 45 minutes.
The second half saw Norwich enjoy more possession and restrict United to half chances. They had a glorious chance on the hour where Grant Holt had guided a header down to Martin who for some reason lifted the ball over the bar! That woke United up and RVP was replaced by Danny Welbeck to stretch things a little.
Cleverley came on for Anderson as the last 15 minutes saw Norwich taking the scrap to United but the scrap soon ended. Rooney latched on to a long ball behind Bassong and he stopped and checked and passed to Kagawa to cushion the ball into the net with Bunn and Turner wrong footed.
Moments later Welbeck had another chance but Bunn made a smart move but he was soon picking the ball out of the net again. A great combination between Welbeck and Rooney and the latter picked out Kagawa who ghosted into the box and chipped over Bunn for the Hat trick.
United were not finished and Rooney received the ball, dropped the shoulder and blasted the ball high past the despairing hands of Mark Bunn.
United simply finished the stronger and eventually battered Norwich into submission. Norwich played well in parts but the second goal killed them off.
United are looking strong with goals flying and the defence looking strong. Only 3 goals conceded in the last 9 premiership games.
Man of the match, Shinji Kagawa. A class performance of a player who lets the ball do the work and his positioning and understanding with the forwards and midfield is now starting to click. A headache for Sir Alex on whether to start with him on Tuesday.
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