Juan Mata was the avatar in the Manchester United – Norwich City derby, scoring the only goal of the game that gave the Red Devils a vital victory.
With this win, Manchester United have applied pressure on Man City ahead of the Blues’ clash with Arsenal on Sunday.
Also, the narrow victory is enough boost to the Reds’ hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.
Louis van Gaal spoke to MUTV and BT Sport after Manchester United’s 1-0 triumph at Norwich City and calls it a “vital victory”.
“Yes, it’s so important that we are still in business and we keep in business by keeping the pressure on our competitors.
“It’s so important. I’m very happy.
“It’s not easy as Norwich are fighting against relegation and we have to win because we lost two points against Leicester.
“Now we are still in the race.”
Despite the importance of the game for both teams, it was the most low key of opening halves with precious few moments of excitement.
Perhaps the loss of Anthony Martial in the warm-up, with the injured Frenchman replaced by midfielder Ander Herrera, blunted the Reds’ attack.
Louis van Gaal’s team was further depleted when Matteo Darmian was forced off on a stretcher early on.
Daley Blind and Marcus Rashford were already rested for the clash and not included the squad.
There was a clear opportunity as early as the fourth minute.
Cameron Jerome could only steer a header against David De Gea’s knees from point-blank range following a cross by Nathan Redmond.
However, this failed to set the tone for a disappointing period as United struggled to make any headway towards John Ruddy’s goal.
A first attempt on goal for the visitors arrived on 29 minutes, when Chris Smalling nodded over Mata’s corner after climbing above Jerome.
It was followed with the only United shot on target of the first half, a Jesse Lingard attempt bent tamely into Ruddy’s arms.
Memphis Depay’s free-kick straight into the wall summed up the frustration and the first 45 minutes dwindled to a close despite three minutes of stoppage time being played.
Herrera slipped as he volleyed a penetrative pass from Mata wide as van Gaal’s men started the second period with more thrust, without testing Ruddy.
Norwich did manage sights of goal as Gary O’Neil sliced a speculative shot wide and Jerome mistimed a header before the breakthrough arrived at the other end with 18 minutes left.
Antonio Valencia’s ball over the top was misjudged by Sebastien Bassong and Rooney advanced towards goal.
The captain had to check inside both Russell Martin and Bassong.
But he had the presence of mind to lay the ball into the path of Mata, who arrived on cue to steer home a side-footed finish.
Jerome sent another header wide but substitute Morgan Schneiderlin should have made the points safe on 85 minutes.
He instead fired wide after being sent clear by Rooney’s precise pass.
Memphis curled a free-kick just the wrong side of Ruddy’s right-hand post and Herrera fired over in stoppage time as the visitors remained in control.
The hard-fought success may not have been pretty but it means United will head to West Ham on Tuesday will all still to play for in the race for a top-four slot.
VAN GAAL’S VERDICT ON VITAL VICTORY
Louis van Gaal spoke to MUTV and BT Sport after Manchester United’s 1-0 triumph at Norwich City and had this to say:
Vital victory
Yes, it’s so important that we are still in business and we keep in business by keeping the pressure on our competitors.
It’s so important. I’m very happy.
It’s not easy as Norwich are fighting against relegation and we have to win because we lost two points against Leicester.
Now we are still in the race.
Hot stuff
The weather makes a huge difference. Last week, it was more or less cold, now it was 35 degrees.
It’s hot on the players’ faces and they were very tired. But we have won, so that’s good.
Hammers next
It’s still very tough.
Now we have to play away to West Ham United and we’ve seen already in the quarter-final of the FA Cup that it’s not so easy.
So we have to repeat that win. West Ham are a very good team – it’s not for nothing they’re in the top six of the table.
We were lucky in the Cup.
I think we deserved to win but we were lucky West Ham had a goal disallowed in the last minute.
Decision to rest Blind and Rashford
That’s always the case – that you cannot recreate your decisions.
I think they needed that rest and also you have seen other players are needing a rest.
But I cannot give everybody a rest and that is the problem.
You have to make these decisions before the game and not after it.
After the game, you can decide what you want but it’s not counting anymore.
I thought Daley and Marcus needed a rest because they have played a lot of matches, nearly every match.
Rashford is a youngster and he’s played the last 10 games so it’s not easy for him and he needs that rest.
I wanted to give him this game off.
It was already difficult before we lost Matteo Darmian and, before the match, Anthony Martial.
Super Smalling
He was very important, of course, as he was playing against big strikers – Cameron Jerome and, after that, Dieumerci Mbokani.
But also the save in the first few minutes by David De Gea was important at that moment.
Supporting Arsenal on Sunday
I’m more or less tomorrow, indeed, a Gunners fan but it will be a tough game between these kind of teams.
Especially after the defeat to Real Madrid, it is not so easy for Manchester City to revive themselves.
[Sportsmo]
