Manchester United closed to within one point of Manchester City in the race for fourth place, courtesy of a 1-0 win away at Norwich City.
Juan Mata scored the only goal of the game 72 minutes in, smashing home from inside the box when picked out unselfishly by Wayne Rooney.
Norwich mustered just one shot on target all match, arriving early on when Cameron Jerome was denied by David de Gea from five yards out.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded at Carrow Road with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Premier League meeting between Norwich City and Manchester United at Carrow Road. We have reached crunch time in the English top flight, with just a week of the campaign left to play and plenty still on the line at both ends. The destination of the title itself may already have been decided, but two relegation spots and the small matter of the finalised top-four is still yet to be decided.
The Canaries are simply focusing on avoiding an immediate return to the second tier, finding themselves locked in a three-way battle with North-East duo Sunderland and Newcastle United to secure a 17th-placed finish. That one will go right down to the wire regardless of what happens over the coming hours in the Premier League, while United's target of a top-four finish will also likely go to the final day.
TEAM NEWS!
NORWICH CITY XI: Ruddy; Pinto, Martin, Bassong, Olsson; Redmond, Howson, O'Neil, Brady; Hoolahan; Jerome
MANCHESTER UNITED XI: De Gea; Valencia, Smalling, Rojo, Darmian; Carrick, Rooney; Mata, Lingard, Memphis; Martial
Starting with a look at the visiting side, then, and manager Louis van Gaal has made three changes to his starting lineup from last weekend's 1-1 draw with champions Leicester City. Matteo Darmian, Juan Mata and Memphis Depay are all welcomed back into the fold at Carrow Road, replacing Daley Blind, Marcus Rashford and Marouane Fellaini. The latter, given an extended run in the team of late, will miss the remainder of the season due to a three-match suspension for an off-the-ball incident with Robert Huth six days ago.
Luke Shaw and Bastian Schweinsteiger remain on the injury list, meanwhile, with neither player likely to feature again this season after their respective lay-offs. The big inclusion today is that of Juan Mata in the middle of the park, a player who has scored four league goals against Norwich so far in his Premier League career - more than any other opponents. More of the same today and United could well close in on the top four.
The last few games have provided United supporters with just a glimmer of hope that the attacking play of old could return should Van Gaal indeed remain in the Old Trafford hot seat, with Anthony Martial, Jesse Lingard and Rashford linking up well as a front-three trio. The absence of the latter of that young attack force this afternoon means a potential return to the more withdrawn play of old, however, in what is likely to be a difficult afternoon for the Red Devils in East Anglia.
In terms of the visiting side, Alex Neil will be without Ryan Bennett at the back after the defender failed a late fitness test. Bennett had been struggling with illness, with this match coming too soon for him and therefore Ivo Pinto will be called upon once more. The Canaries are still also without Tim Klose and Alexander Tettey, so Neil's hand has been forced a little for this final run-in.
Bennett's failure to overcome illness means that it is the same starting lineup that came close to stealing a point off Arsenal last weekend, with Cameron Jerome once again given the nod in attack. Neil may have been tempted to shuffle his pack in that regard, but the Englishman did play a vital role in the reverse fixture between these two sides when City picked up a famous victory at Old Trafford at Christmas time.
BENCH WATCH!
NORWICH CITY SUBS: Rudd, Whittaker, Naismith, Mbokani, Bamford, Jarvis, Dorrans
MANCHESTER UNITED SUBS: Romero, McNair, Borthwick-Jackson, Fosu-Mensah, Schneiderlin, Herrera, Januzaj
Fellaini misses out on the squad altogether as a result of his three-match ban, while Blind and Rashford - the other two men to drop out from the draw with Leicester - are also absent from the 18-man squad. Plenty of midfield options for Van Gaal to choose upon, but Adnan Januzaj is the closest thing the visitors have to an out-and-out attacking option. Norwich, meanwhile, could turn to the likes of Patrick Bamford, Dieumerci Mbokani and Steven Naismith should they require a goal.
So a huge week ahead for both of these sides, then, with plenty still left to play for in this final run-in. Three defeats on the bounce has left Norwich fighting for their lives as they attempt to avoid an instant return to the Championship but, with a game in hand still to play on rivals Newcastle, they still have real hope of avoiding the drop.
If that is to be the case then, as Alex Neil himself admitted this week, Norwich really do have to pick up a win here today. In those past three games the Canaries have failed to score a single goal, which very much epitomises their season as a whole. City have found the net just 35 times in all; only Aston Villa (27) have done so less since the opening weekend of the campaign.
It was the 3-0 defeat to Sunderland here a couple of weeks back that really knocked the stuffing out of Norwich, with supporters realising at that point that surviving would be a real tough task. Prior to this barren run, the Canaries did pick up back-to-back wins, though, taking them four points clear of danger at that stage. It just goes to show the importance of finding some momentum when at the bottom, but time is very much against Neil and his men with three games to go.
Looking further back, it is just the two wins in 15 for City. Throw into the mix 11 of those ending in defeat, with very few goals being scored in return, and you can begin to see just why things are looking so bleak around Carrow Road at this late stage. It has been a similar story at this very ground, in fact, where the East Anglian outfit have won only one of their last seven home league outings - drawing two and losing four during that spell.
DID YOU KNOW? Norwich City have conceded nine penalties so far this season - more than any other side in the division. By comparison, opponents Manchester United have given away just two during the same timeframe, while also winning three of their own. Referee injustice or just bad defending on their part? As ever, a mixture of both is the answer to that one.
Despite this bleak picture being painted (sorry, Norwich fans), all is not lost for the Canaries. They are currently just one point off Sunderland and two adrift of Newcastle, who occupy that 17th position in the Premier League. Following today's vital clash against top-four chasing United, City then play host to Watford in midweek - another huge game - before travelling to Everton on the final day. Nine points will be the target, but could six or fewer be enough to get the job done?
Scoring goals, as already touched upon, really has been a major downfall of Norwich's, though, with their paltry tally of 35 something that is likely to cost them at this rate. The performance at Arsenal summed it up best, as just three of their 12 attempts actually troubled Cech, but they ultimately failed to find the net at all to make it three games without a goal. That simply will not do today, with Neil going in search of a win.
While Norwich are battling to secure their to-flight status, Louis van Gaal's United side are still in the hunt for a top-four finish - their minimum aim for the season. As things stand, the Red Devils find themselves four off Manchester City in that final Champions League berth, albeit with a game in hand to play over their rivals. That additional match comes in midweek against a West Ham United side themselves still in the hunt for a European spot, however, so Van Gaal will certainly have to do things the hard way.
Prior to last week's credible draw with Leicester, United had racked up four wins on the bounce in all competitions. It was a much-needed improved run of form for Van Gaal, whose own future at the club still remains up in the air. The latest reports to emerge suggest that Jose Mourinho has been told to wait in the wings for another 12 months, while tabloid talk from elsewhere suggests that even FA Cup success will not save the Dutchman.
Essentially, the Dutchman's future will not be decided until the final ball of the season is kicked. United could still finish fourth while also lifting a first FA Cup crown in more than a decade, but would that really be enough? This was a season that the Red Devils really needed to be challenging for the title but, a promising opening couple of months aside - which Van Gaal has lived off ever since - it has simply not been good enough on that front.
Manchester United have endured a disappointing campaign thus far, even when taking into account their upturn in form in recent weeks. The Red Devils crashed out of the League Cup on penalties to Championship side Middlesbrough, exited the Champions League at the group stage before facing defeat to Liverpool in the Europa League, while also looking likely to miss out on the Premier League's top four - the very minimum target in a season that has once more seen them spent big.
United have not actually won a Premier League match outside of Manchester since January, with their only away success in that time coming against near-neighbours Man City. They have just that one victory on their travels from the last five outings, losing three and drawing one. The Red Devils have also found the net only four times in the last six top-flight away games - a terrible tally for a team boasting players signed for multi-millions.
It is worth mentioning that, should United lose today and Man City win, it will be all over for the Red Devils in terms of their top-four hopes. The wheels may then be put in motion to lure ex-Chelsea boss Mourinho to Old Trafford to the club, although Van Gaal still remains confident that he will see out his three-year deal regardless of whether he wins the upcoming FA Cup final meeting with Crystal Palace at Wembley.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS! Norwich City won the reverse meeting at Old Trafford 1-0 thanks to goals from Cameron Jerome and Alexander Tettey either side of half time. Juan Mata pulled on back for the Red Devils 66 minutes in, but that was not enough to prevent another crushing defeat in the tenure of Van Gaal. The Canaries have not actually pulled off a league double over today's opponents since the 1989-90 season, however, so the omens do not look too good for them on that front.
Furthermore, United have never lost home and away to a newly-promoted side in the same Premier League campaign. Norwich will need to create some history if they are to get the job done today, then, with a victory enough to lift them above both Sunderland and Newcastle into 17th place ahead of this afternoon's fixtures. It really is tight at the bottom, with Crystal Palace also still not assured of safety heading into the final week of the season.
With kickoff now just 10 minutes away at Carrow Road, let us turn our attention towards some of the pre-match comments from both camps ahead of this huge Premier League showdown.
Alex Neil: "It comes no bigger than this, it really is crunch time now. There is no room for excuses, we've got to go out and do the job. The players know exactly where we are. They gave it their best efforts against Arsenal, and I expect exactly the same this weekend."
Louis van Gaal: "We have to win our matches because otherwise we cannot be in the first four - that's the pressure that we have. We have to fight until the end, and then we have still a title [the FA Cup] to win. We have to assess the tiredness of the players because there's an overload of matches, so maybe I have to rotate. Every week you have something that you don't like, but I think we can manage."
Both manager know full well the importance of today's match, but that has not stopped Van Gaal omitting both Rashford and Blind from his squad for fitness reasons. The Dutchman, talking to BT Sport a little earlier, claimed that his decision to leave out both men was down to a large number of fixtures in recent weeks. Anthony Martial has in fact also pulled up during the pre-match warm-up, and will therefore be replaced by Ander Herrera in the starting lineup.
That Martial injury will now likely see Wayne Rooney move from his central midfield position into a more advanced striking role, with two of United's front-three trio from recent weeks now missing. Not ideal for the Red Devils in a match that they must win they keep pressure on Man City, but the incentive is now very much there for Norwich to quickly get out of the blocks and pull off an upset in their own battle to beat the drop.
PREDICTION! This one may seem like an easy contest to call on the face of it, with United on a decent unbeaten run in all competitions and Norwich without a win - and a goal - in their last three, but I am going with a 1-1 draw at Carrow Road. That is a result that neither team will want, with a win very much on the agenda for both. Both teams are now out on the field of play.
Kickoff at a packed Carrow Road is now moments away, but first a minute's silence for late Norwich hero Errol Crossan.
KICKOFF! Norwich get proceedings underway at Carrow Road, looking to capitalise on a superb atmosphere being generated from their home supporters. United start on the front foot, with Lingard seemingly the player who will start down the centre for the visitors.
Redmond is prodded in behind the United defence inside the opening few minutes, but his cross into a central position is easily cut out. Calls for a penalty after Brady was pulled back a little, but referee Craig Pawson was having none of it. Bright start from the Canaries.
SAVE! What a start this has been from Norwich, who really should be ahead here. A cross from the left was met by a completely unmarked Cameron Jerome, but he could only head straight at De Gea from five yards out. Bassong came close from a corner prior to that, as the Canaries go in search of an early breakthrough.
Having looked at that pullback on Brady a few minutes back, the referee got his call spot on. Contact was definitely made on the midfielder, but it was not enough to send him flying to ground. Jerome should have been doing much better from his free header, meanwhile.
First opening for United, as Rooney picks out Mata inside the opposition box. The Spaniard, back in the starting lineup today following a recent absence, is let down by a poor first touch and never truly recovers to see the chance go begging.
Louis van Gaal, sporting some cool-looking shades on the United bench, celebrates his 100th game in charge of the club this afternoon. His side have just about recovered from a shaky start, and are now far more composed on the ball. Norwich still looking the better team in attack, though.
Darmian is clattered into by Pinto on the right-hand touchline in what appeared to be an innocuous challenge, but the Italian full-back has remained down. A change will now likely be made, with Borthwick-Jackson the man currently warming up ready to come on.
Rojo has shifted across with Carrick filling in at the centre-back, with Borthwick-Jackson still waiting to come on. Redford the latest player to go to ground, not really helping this stop-start feel to the match over the past 10 minutes or so.
MANCHESTER UNITED SUB! Darmian has indeed seen his afternoon cut short, and more worrying for the Italy international is the use of a stretcher to take him down the tunnel. Cameron Borthwick-Jackson the man to come on in his place, enjoying another run-out for the senior side.
An incredibly scrappy game at the moment, which is perhaps down to both teams having something riding on the contest. Norwich started very well, creating one big chance for Jerome, but that aside neither Norwich or United have done enough in an attacking sense.
United still struggling to take control of this game in the middle of the park, with Lingard - not Mata - the man dropping into that position to help out. Darmian has finally made his way down the tunnel area on the stretcher, receiving a handshake off his manager when passing the dugout.
A real stop-start contest at Carrow Road thus far, with just the one attempt on goal of any note. That arrived a few minutes in when Cameron Jerome's header from close range was kept out by David de Gea in a routine enough manner.
Pinto gets goal side of Depay down the right, but his cross into the box is cleared away. A decent enough attack from the hosts, which just lacked the end product required. Jerome is far too static in attack at the moment, failing to really get a yard of space on his marker.
The visitors win their first corner of the match, which Jerome clears away. That sparks a counter from City, who have a two-vs-two situation at one point, but O'Neil is forced to shoot from a tight position which Herrera was quick to block.
CLOSE! United's best chance of the match yet by quite some distance, as Smalling heads over the bar from close range. The Englishman outjumped his marker and made clean contact with the ball, but he just failed to keep it on target when really he should have been scoring.
SHOT! Lingard opens up his body and looks to pick out the far corner, but it was easy enough for Ruddy to read and he got across to collect in a simple manner. Two attempts in two minutes for the Red Devils - a sign that they are ready to up things a little more.
The game has certainly livened up over the past five minutes or so following what had largely been a disjointed game up until that point, but we still have just the two shots on goal so far. Both teams coming close to opening the scoring, but neither really doing enough to take the least in truth.
Norwich certainly throwing plenty of bodies at the ball to deny United on the edge of their own box, but O'Neil takes it a little too far and brings Mata to ground. A free kick from close to 30 yards out in sent into the wall by Depay.
Half time now less than 10 minutes away, but still neither of these sides are able to keep hold of the ball for long periods of time. Not a classic by any means, but it remains on a knife edge which should set up a decent second half in East Anglia.
Depay's cross is deep but Smalling manages to get his head to the ball, sending it inches wide of the target where Ruddy was waiting to collect. City do not appear all that eager to find a breakthrough prior to the break.
The game being played almost exclusively in Norwich's half of the field at the moment, but Neil will not be too concerned by what he has witnessed so far. United looking to remain patient, despite needing a goal to pick up three points.
Jerome powers his way into the box and goes down under the challenge of Borthwick-Jackson, but the defender clearly won the ball first. Referee Craig Pawson spotted that and, in fairness to him, Jerome did not appeal for a penalty either.
United break through Depay, who has acres to burst into down the right. The wideman aims to cut inside only to be blocked out, before Herrera's curler was blocked on the edge of the box. Pinto now down nursing a knee injury in the final minute of the half.
Two more minutes of added time to be played at Carrow Road, but do not expect the deadlock to be broken in that time. So incredibly pedestrian this first half, with neither team really showing the urgency to make a difference where it counts.
HALF TIME: NORWICH CITY 0-0 MANCHESTER UNITED
So a goalless first half at Carrow Road, then, which pretty much reflects what we have witnessed so far. It has been a strange game in many ways - neither team truly showing the hunger to make a breakthrough, instead playing the game at a pedestrian pace despite three points being a must for both.
City's only attempt of the half arrived five minutes in when Cameron Jerome headed straight at David de Gea unmarked from five yards out. It was a chance that the Englishman really should have been making the most of, and so it proved with the Canaries unable to must any other clear-cut openings all half in East Anglia.
United's only chance came just short of the half-hour mark, meanwhile, as a cross into the back-post area was met by Chris Smalling. The centre-back outjumped his marker and made clean contact with his head, but he sent the ball a yard over the bar when he should have been hitting the target at the very least. Lingard then curled a shot into the arms of Ruddy, with what proved to be one of only two on-target attempts of the half.
BENCH WATCH!
NORWICH CITY SUBS: Rudd, Whittaker, Naismith, Mbokani, Bamford, Jarvis, Dorrans
MANCHESTER UNITED SUBS: Romero, McNair, Fosu-Mensah, Schneiderlin, Herrera, Januzaj
No way through for either side in a tame opening 45 minutes at Carrow Road, but will either manager change things around at the break. Louis van Gaal has little attacking options in truth, with just Adnan Januzaj among his back-up options, while opposite number Alex Neil could turn to top-scoring striker Dieumerci Mbokani.
RESTART! A huge second half ahead of us, then, which Man United get underway at Carrow Road. Let's just hope for a little more urgency from both teams over the next 45 minutes!
United probing away in a more efficient manner in the early stages of this second half, and it very nearly pays dividends. Mata sends a superb ball over the top for Herrera to get on the end of, but the Spaniard volleyed into the side-netting first time.
Norwich pegged right back in their own final third now, with Mata proving key for the Red Devils. The midfielder sends another superb reverse ball around the back, this time for Valencia, but the final ball is cut out. Only one team in this game at the moment.
Norwich have held off United's waves of attack, though they are still unable to really take control of the game. A battling draw is not really enough today - they need all three points heading into that massive match against Watford here in midweek.
Olsson sends in a good cross from the left after beating his man, but De Gea plucked it out of the air right under his crossbar. All very simple from the Canaries, though that is exactly what was needed to get supporters back on their side.
The Red Devils definitely showing more urgency to their game in this second half. They really must test Ruddy more now in order to make a breakthrough, while Norwich may need to make a change to change the flow of the match.
A cross into the back-post area has a little too much on it for Mata to tap home, so still just the one shot on goal from either side. Van Gaal and Neil must surely be thinking of changing things around a little, particularly the latter who has a few attacking options to choose from.
Neil may actually be forced into making that first City change of the match, as Gary O'Neil is down receiving some treatment. Dorrans was sent out to warm-up on the touchline, but O'Neil looks as though he will be able to shake off the knock as we hit the hour mark.
Mbokani is stripped down and ready to come on. Jerome will probably be the man replaced, unless Neil wants to go with two up top for the remainder of this match. Either way, the City midfielders need to do far more to feed whoever is playing in advance of them.
Norwich doing superbly in terms of blocking away shots from range, but they need to get out of this rut and put some attacks of their own together. Still just the one shot of any note this half - Herrera shooting into the side-netting shortly after the restart.
NORWICH CITY SUB! Mbokani is now on the field of play, replacing Brady and taking a place alongside Jerome in attack. Redmond most likely to move out to the left, while Hoolahan will operate down the opposite flank.
Redmond gets forward down the left in a rare Norwich attack, sending the ball through the box which O'Neil cannot really make the most of. Borthwick-Jackson failed to truly clear his lines, however, and O'Neil blasted a shot a few yards over the bar from just inside the box.
CHANCE! A cross into the box from the right is met by substitute Mbokani, but he got under the ball and failed to test De Gea with anything other than a routine catch. Much better from the Canaries, though, and all of a sudden they look the more likely to open the scoring.
GOAL! NORWICH CITY 0-1 MANCHESTER UNITED (JUAN MATA)
We have a breakthrough goal at Carrow Road at long, long last! It was a simple goal, too, which was created through a simply punt over the top for Rooney to race in behind. The Englishman saw his chance to shoot pass him by, but he was able to roll the ball off for Mata alongside him to smash home the opener from a few yards out.
I mentioned Mata's goalscoring record against Norwich in the pre-match build-up, with that strike making it five in five for him now. Another break in play now with a City player down injured, something United will not be all that concerned about now they have a lead to protect.
MANCHESTER UNITED SUB! Januzaj was initially about to be brought on, but a change of plan sees Schneiderlin instead brought on for Lingard. Howson is still in some pain and will likely join Lingard in leaving the field of play, albeit in different circumstances.
NORWICH CITY SUBS! Dorrans is the man on to replace the injured Howson in midfield. No goals in four games for the Canaries as things stand, and you have to wonder just when that run will end. Eleven minutes left to play at Carrow Road. Bamford is now also on for Jerome.
A decent enough set-piece delivery into the box is headed well over the bar by Dorrans. Time fast running out for the Canaries now, but they need just one goal to rescue a point - not a great result, but one they will take right about now.
Middlesbrough, the team Norwich beat in last season's Championship playoff final, have just been promoted to the Premier League thanks to a draw at home to third-place Brighton. It looks like the Canaries will be dropping back into the second tier at this stage, with four defeats on the bounce likely.
Last-man Rojo stumbles but just gets a leg out to clear the ball. No real pressure on United at the moment, and Van Gaal will eat up some more time by bringing on Januzaj in the next few moments.
CHANCE! Schneiderlin picked out superbly by Rooney, but he drags his shot wide of goal with just Ruddy to beat. It is unlikely to prove too costly at this stage, but should Norwich score then we will have to look back at that miss.
MANCHESTER UNITED SUB! Timothy Fosu-Mensah is on in place of Carrick in these closing stages. Januzaj was up and down on the bench, but Van Gaal changes his mind numerous times and settled with Fosu-Mensah in the end.
Five minutes of stoppage time to be played at Carrow Road, which is being played exclusively in United's half. Norwich upping the pressure a little but De Gea is still a mere spectator between the sticks.
YELLOW CARD! Gary O'Neil shown the first caution of the afternoon, which goes a long way to highlighting the lack of fight shown by both sides so far. Just two minutes left for the hosts to see out.
FULL TIME: NORWICH CITY 0-1 MANCHESTER UNITED
Manchester United rather comfortably see out the remaining couple of minutes of added time to pick up three crucial points. They are now just one point behind Manchester City in the race for fourth thanks to Juan Mata's strike, while Norwich are two adrift of safety with time now very much against them.
Well that concludes Sports Mole's live text updates of events at Carrow Road. There is plenty of live coverage taking place elsewhere in the Premier League this afternoon, but before heading off why not check out this on-the-whistle report from East Anglia. Thanks for joining!
