Source: Daily_Mail
Manchester United 2 Norwich 0: Anderson and Welbeck keep United on top
Manchester United completed a club record 19th successive home league win - but few have been as unconvincing as this bloodless triumph over plucky Norwich. [LNB] The visitors carved out virtually all the best chances, with Anthony Pilkington hitting a post and rollinga shot wide after finding himself clean through.[LNB] Heading to the top: Anderson nods home to put United on their way[LNB] [LNB]MATCH FACTS MAN UTD: Lindegaard, Valencia, Jones, Evans, Evra, Park, Fletcher, Anderson (Ferdinand 76), Nani (Giggs 64), Rooney, Hernandez (Welbeck 65).[LNB]Subs not used: De Gea, Owen, Berbatov, Carrick.[LNB]Goals: Anderson.[LNB]Booked: Welbeck [LNB]NORWICH: Ruddy, Naughton, Martin, Barnett, Tierney, bennett (Jackson 74), Hoolahan (Martin 85), Fox (Crofts 74), Pilkington, Morison, Johnson.[LNB]Subs not used: Rudd, Drury, Holt, Surman.[LNB]Referee: Stuart Attwell[LNB]Click here for the latest Premier League table, fixtures and results [LNB] Norwich were made to pay when Anderson powered home a close-range header midway through the second period before Danny Welbeck scored his third goal in a week, sliding in to finish off Park Ji-sung's cut-back. [LNB]United boss Sir Alex Ferguson spent agood proportion of the build-up extolling the virtues of his Norwich counterpart Paul Lambert, and explaining why Scots are such a significant presence in the top flight.[LNB] Attention to detail clearly plays a huge part and Lambert had done his homework. [LNB]Norwich did attack when they could and they were the better team for the first 20 minutes, although their best work was done around their own penalty area - and it did not involve the ball.[LNB] Correctly assuming their opponents would dominate possession for long spells, the Canaries remained rock-solid in retaining two banks of four, which United found impossibleto penetrate. [LNB] Hot shot: Park Ji-sung (right) strikes for goal as David Fox closes in[LNB] [LNB] Returning striker Wayne Rooney unleashed a long-range effort, which Canaries goalkeeper John Ruddy dealt with easily and Marc Tierney was on hand to clear a near-post flick by Darren Fletcher from Nani's corner.[LNB] Other than that, the hosts were repeatedly frustrated, the unexplained absence of Ashley Young denying them a slippery customer on both flanks on a day when Nani was not at his best. [LNB]Certainly Norwich would not have expected to reach the interval in such comfort, the entertainment value so low that watching comedian - and Canaries supporter - Stephen Fry seemed to nod off in the directors' box.[LNB]Putting the boot in: Park Ji-sung is felled by Elliott Bennett[LNB] Fry would have had plenty to cheer about if Elliott Bennett had been able to pick out Steve Morison after surging to the byline, the Norwich striker would have had a tap-in. [LNB]Instead, Bennett drilled his cross straight at Phil Jones and the hosts breathed a sigh of relief. United survived two more gilt-edged Norwich chances immediately after the breaktoo. [LNB]Jones has already caught the eye thisseason but the 19-year-old needed to show maturity way beyond his yearsafter Morison had given Evans the slip. [LNB]Knowing Pilkington was completely on his own behind him, the teenager held his ground, denying an early cross, before lunging in on Morison and coming away with the ball.[LNB]Deadlock broken: Anderson wheels away after scoring United's first[LNB] It was a textbook piece of defending, and a further evidence of why Ferguson felt so comfortable leaving Rio Ferdinand on the bench. [LNB] A minute later though, Jones was beaten by Pilkington, who stepped inside the former Blackburn man only for his shot to strike Evans, allowing goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard to make the save.[LNB] Wes Hoolahan was not that far away with a dipping long-range effort as Norwich, who had scored in 11 of their last 12 away games, pushed forward with relish. [LNB]United's good fortunate was seemingly inexhaustible. When Pilkington seized on Antonio Valencia's miscontrol, the striker was left with only Lindegaard to beat.[LNB] All's well that ends Wel: Danny Welbeck celebrates United's second[LNB] He steadied himself, just as Lambert would have wished, but amazingly rolled his shot wide of the far post, to the disbelief of the visiting contingent at that end of the ground. [LNB] Having passed up so many chances, Norwich must have feared what was about to follow. [LNB]Substitute Ryan Giggs floated over a corner, which was met by Jones and flicked on by Rooney, to Anderson, who powered home a header from close range. [LNB] Wayne's whirl: Rooney skips past Elliott Bennett[LNB] Still, Norwich refused to let their heads drop and came agonisingly close to a leveller as Pilkington's shot deflected off Anderson, onto the post and back into the grateful arms of Lindegaard, who had been helpless. [LNB]Danny Welbeck then slid in but failed by inches to touch home Jones' cross. [LNB] Crunch time: Rooney (left) and Leon Barnett (right) battle for the ball[LNB]Norwich continued to threaten but after Morison's goalbound effort was turned away by Ferdinand, Welbeck sealed the win with his third goal in a week before Rooney chipped narrowly over. [LNB] Double boost for Fergie as Rooney and Chicarito return to Man United squadConfident Lambert believes Norwich can upset the Champions at Old TraffordClick here for the latest Premier League table, fixtures and results All the latest Manchester United news, features and opinion All the latest Norwich news, features and opinion [LNB]
