Man Utd end wait for Premier League away win despite Tim Krul’s penalty heroics

Manchester United recorded their first Premier League away win since February despite missing two penalties in a 3-1 win at Norwich.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side ended their 11-match run without a win away from Old Trafford by beating Partizan Belgrade in the Europa League in midweek, and backed it up with an impressive performance at Carrow Road.

United broke the deadlock through Scott McTominay’s low drive and in the process became the first club to score 2,000 Premier League goals.

The visitors were then awarded a penalty after a VAR review in the 28th minute, only for Tim Krul to save Rashford’s effort, but the England international made up for it moments later to bag his 50th United goal.

Solskjaer’s side missed their second penalty before half-time when Martial was denied as Krul again guessed correctly to keep his side in the game.

It was 3-0 in the 73rd minute as Martial made up for his penalty miss before Norwich pulled one back in the 88th minute through half-time substitute Onel Hernandez.

The Canaries saw a lot of the ball in the early minutes and had the first chance of the game when Todd Cantwell fired over the bar.

United soon took charge and Rashford was denied by Krul after the England forward got a shot off from a narrow angle.

The Dutch goalkeeper was again called into action as he made a brilliant, instinctive stop to deny Martial from close range.

But from the resulting corner, the home side could not clear and McTominay fired in a low drive.

VAR was used for the first time in the 28th minute when Ben Godfrey was adjudged to have brought down Daniel James in the box after a lengthy review, only for Rashford to be denied by Krul from the subsequent spot-kick.

But just two minutes later Rashford made amends for his second missed spot-kick of the season as he beat the poor Norwich offside trap to collect James’ pass and slotted home.

After a long period without threatening, Norwich forced David De Gea into action six minutes before the break. Cantwell let fly but the Spain goalkeeper tipped the ball over for a corner.

For the second time in the first half, the visitors were awarded a penalty after another VAR review, this time for a handball by Cantwell in the area.

This time Martial stepped up to take the spot kick, but Krul made a diving save low to his right to deny the United forward.

The Canaries started the second half brightly, with Max Aarons running the ball all the way to the touchline before cutting back only for Teemu Pukki to side-foot the ball over the bar.

United wrapped up all three points in the 73rd minute as Rashford and Martial linked up with a clever one-two before the French forward – in his first Premier League appearance since August – slotted home his third league goal of the season.

Just as the game looked to be petering out the Canaries pulled one back, with Hernandez hitting his first goal of the season after a solo run.

FourFourTwo Staff

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