Premier League preview: Man United v Norwich

Manchester United are favoured to return to winning ways against Norwich City at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s side have drawn their last two fixtures, with a 1-1 draw at Stoke City followed by a disappointing 3-3 result against FC Basel in the Champions League on Tuesday.

The reigning Premier League champions have not tasted defeat in a competitive match since they lost the Champions League final to Barcelona in May, but Ferguson will demand his side respond in front of their home fans.

Norwich will enter the game on a high, with two consecutive Premier League wins against Bolton and Sunderland putting them in the top half of the table.

Both of those victories ended with a 2-1 scoreline, and manager Paul Lambert will be concerned that his side have not kept a clean sheet in their seven competitive matches this season.

But the Premier League newcomers have scored goals regularly, including in all four away trips this term, a confidence-boosting stat ahead of their visit to the Old Trafford cauldron.

United have a good Premier League record against Norwich, winning six of the eight games played between the two teams.

But the last time the two sides met, in April 2005, it was the Canaries who pulled off a famous 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Dean Ashton and Leon McKenzie.

Premier League top scorer Wayne Rooney (nine goals) will miss the match due to a hamstring injury.

Rooney is not the only United player on the sidelines, with the likes of Nemanja Vidic (calf), Rafael (shoulder), Tom Cleverley and Darron Gibson (ankle) also out of action.

Javier Hernandez (leg), Jonny Evans (ankle) and Chris Smalling (groin) may return for Ferguson’s side.

Norwich’s injury worries are all long-term, with defenders Zak Whitbread (hamstring), Daniel Ayala and Elliott Ward (knee) sidelined.