Norwich 0-1 Manchester United: Cristiano Ronaldo penalty earns win for Red Devils

Cristiano Ronaldo's penalty earned Manchester United a narrow victory over Norwich to maintain Ralf Rangnick's unbeaten start as interim manager.

The Red Devils had offered little attacking threat before then, though Alex Telles hit the bar with a deflected free-kick during the first half.

They also had David de Gea to thank for two fine stops to deny Teemu Pukki and Ozan Kabak as Norwich put in a spirited display.

There was concern for Victor Lindelof when he was forced off during the second half holding his chest, though Rangnick said the Sweden defender had had tests and "seems OK".

The win moves Manchester United above Arsenal and Tottenham into fifth place. Norwich stay bottom on goal difference, three points from safety.

Ronaldo rescues United

After making made a raft of changes for the midweek Champions League draw with Young Boys, Ralf Rangnick restored the XI that beat Crystal Palace in his first game in charge last weekend.

But despite having a full week to prepare, United looked sluggish and rarely threatened against a side who have conceded more goals than any other in the Premier League this season.

Ronaldo had to wait until the 38th minute to get his first sight of goal, running on to Scott McTominay's pass before cutting inside and curling in a left-foot shot that was palmed away by Krul.

United faded further in the second half but, like against Palace, managed to find a way, with Ronaldo emphatically dispatching the match-winning spot-kick after Aarons had dragged him down while attempting to meet a right-wing cross.

De Gea also maintained his fine form this season, diving full stretch to tip a fizzing Pukki drive over the bar before clawing away Kabak's goalbound header late on.

It means the Red Devils have kept successive Premier League clean sheets for the first time since a run of four from February to March 2021, and have won three consecutive league games for only the second time this season.

There is also a bit of history for Rangnick, who became the second Manchester United manager to register a clean sheet in his first two league games in charge after Ernest Mangnall in 1903.

• Reaction to Norwich City v Manchester United, plus the rest of Saturday's Premier League matches
• 'Man Utd refereed the game' - Dean Smith's Norwich reaction
• 'We have a lot of work to do' - Ralf Rangnick's Man Utd reaction

Spirited Norwich fall just short

Injury, ineligibility and illness forced Norwich boss Dean Smith into five changes to the side that lost at Tottenham last week, including a first start of the season for Przemyslaw Plachet, and recalls for Kabak and Dimitrios Giannoulis - whose last start was the 7-0 defeat at Chelsea in October.

They suffered a further injury blow after 20 minutes when captain Grant Hanley was forced off with a shoulder injury, with midfielder Jacob Sorensen having to come on and play alongside Kabak in the Canaries' defence.

But despite the patched-up nature of the side it was a performance full of effort and endeavour.

A lack of attacking threat again let them down - no team has scored fewer than Norwich's eight goals in the Premier League this season - though they can rightly point to an impressive performance by De Gea.

There was also some good news on the injury front when Todd Cantwell came off the bench in the second half for just his second appearance since September.

Despite the disappointment of defeat it was a performance to build on as Smith prepares to welcome former club Aston Villa to Carrow Road next week.

Player of the match

de GeaDavid de Gea

with an average of 7.77

• NorwichNorwich CityNorwich City
• Man UtdManchester UnitedManchester United

Norwich City

Avg

1. Squad number8Player nameGilmour

   Average rating

   6.97
2. Squad number1Player nameKrul

   Average rating

   6.32
3. Squad number23Player nameMcLean

   Average rating

   6.28
4. Squad number22Player namePukki

   Average rating

   6.13
5. Squad number2Player nameAarons

   Average rating

   6.08
6. Squad number19Player nameSørensen

   Average rating

   6.07
7. Squad number15Player nameKabak

   Average rating

   6.07
8. Squad number7Player nameRupp

   Average rating

   5.97
9. Squad number30Player nameGiannoulis

   Average rating

   5.95
10. Squad number24Player nameSargent

    Average rating

    5.88
11. Squad number14Player nameCantwell

    Average rating

    5.85
12. Squad number5Player nameHanley

    Average rating

    5.83
13. Squad number11Player namePlacheta

    Average rating

    5.79
14. Squad number20Player nameLees-Melou

    Average rating

    5.54

Manchester United

Avg

1. Squad number1Player namede Gea

   Average rating

   7.77
2. Squad number17Player nameFred

   Average rating

   6.25
3. Squad number7Player nameCristiano Ronaldo

   Average rating

   6.11
4. Squad number39Player nameMcTominay

   Average rating

   6.02
5. Squad number3Player nameBailly

   Average rating

   5.98
6. Squad number5Player nameMaguire

   Average rating

   5.83
7. Squad number20Player nameDiogo Dalot

   Average rating

   5.81
8. Squad number27Player nameAlex Telles

   Average rating

   5.80
9. Squad number2Player nameLindelöf

   Average rating

   5.70
10. Squad number34Player namevan de Beek

    Average rating

    5.68
11. Squad number25Player nameSancho

    Average rating

    5.52
12. Squad number11Player nameGreenwood

    Average rating

    5.34
13. Squad number18Player nameBruno Fernandes

    Average rating

    5.23
14. Squad number10Player nameRashford

    Average rating

    4.80