Norwich City 1 United 0

A Young free-kick from distance prompted a straightforward save from Ruddy and Wesley Hoolahan's 25-yard effort received similar treatment from Lindegaard, before Patrice Evra almost completely missed a free header from Young's pinpoint corner.

Snodgrass made more substantial contact when Wes Hoolahan whipped in a fine left-wing cross, but the ex-Leeds midfielder's header drifted comfortably wide of Lindegaard's far post. Within long, Javier Garrido fizzed a dangerous, low cross through a similar course, only to see it evade target man Grant Holt.

The hosts were increasingly menacing in attack - though they did waste a presentable opening when Smalling's scuffed clearance culminated only a blocked shot from Bradley Johnson - and it took a superb sliding clearance from Smalling to stop Holt from turning in Snodgrass' cross.

Shortly before the break came United's clearest chance of the half, only for van Persie to get himself in a tangle in trying to reach Giggs' beautifully-flighted ball through the middle.

That opening sparked a late spell of pressure from United, and Ruddy produced a superb reaction save to fend away Young's half-volley through a crowded penalty area. Nevertheless, the interval arrived with the points still in touching distance of both sides.

As in the first period, United began the second half brightly. Young's well-weighted pass released van Persie and, though he took two attempts