The Manchester United matchgoers sing 'Seven Cantonas' this time of year and United have a player worthy of the number seven again. The United supporters made sure to go through Cristiano Ronaldo's back catalogue in the Norfolk rain.
Ronaldo's last and only appearance at Carrow Road was as a 20-year-old in 2005 and he looked almost twice as old on his second visit. Little went right for Ronaldo and, in years to come, his first-half air shot may have more viral mileage online than his goal. Still, as the United fans chanted, they had 'come to see Ronaldo' and Ronaldo still had the last word.
Tim Krul saved penalties from Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial the last time Norwich hosted United in the league but he could not have been farther away from Ronaldo's nerveless conversion. The Norwich natives had derided Ronaldo's celebration and he was then able to perform it in front of them.
That United required a penalty against the league's basement side fairly reflected this slog. Norwich no longer resemble a team stealing another Championship club's place in the top flight with Dean Smith as manager and they will rue not taking anything from the slugfest.
While it is not a coincidence United have secured three successive domestic wins since the change of manager, this one was more in keeping with the last months of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's reign than the refined Ralf Rangnick era. David de Gea was as much the saviour as Ronaldo, denying Teemu Pukki and Ozan Kabak either side of Ronaldo's spotkick. United have been heavily indebted to both players all season.
De Gea turned to the United supporters at full-time and outstretched his arms like a triumphant gladiator. Ronaldo immediately turned to the tunnel to escape the rain. In the teeming rain, United supporters sang De Gea's name to Crowded House's Weather with You.
United have kept consecutive clean sheets in the league for the first time since March and Rangnick is prioritising defensive stability. Call it building from the back. Even during the early second-half passage where they were under the cosh from Norwich, United's defending at set-pieces was more assured.
Scott McTominay and Fred were quietly effective again and the full-backs impressive. Another promoted side, Brentford, host United on Tuesday and will be more intense, though United will almost certainly not be unchanged.
Though there was undoubted logic in retaining the same league XI that was entirely rested for the exhibition pace against Young Boys on Wednesday, complacency crept in. Marcus Rashford, the most dubious starter, did nothing to justify Rangnick's call and was fortunate to see out the game.
Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof suffered regressive spells and Jadon Sancho, substituted again, was ineffectual. His three fellow forwards were worse. Diogo Dalot and Alex Telles were United's most consistent and dependable attackers, reaffirming their new status as first-teamers.
United were often caught between two stalls in their attacks, with the midfielders and full-backs patient and the attacking quartet the opposite, none more so than the wasteful Bruno Fernandes.
Solskjaer remarked in his final weeks United attacked 'too quickly' and deprogramming is required if they are to comply with Rangnick's insistence on controlled football. Umpteen attacks were staggered and devoid of any rhythm and the away-dayers became audibly exasperated by Rashford's rustiness.
Rashford accompanied the referee Darren England towards the tunnel at half-time, clutching his shirt to mimic Kabak's manhandling. Rangnick clapped Rashford encouragingly and minutes later ended Mason Greenwood's warm-up. The twist was it was Sancho's number who was up.
Fernandes collared Rashford during a stoppage for halting a run when he had played the pass promptly. If that errant pass was on Rashford then the majority were on Fernandes, yet not a single teammate was on the Portuguese's case when he was as demonstrative as ever.
Dalot and Telles were United's most reliable forwards and Rangnick's new assistant, Chris Armas, encouraged Dalot on his dugout debut in the Premier League early in the second-half. Dalot sought to spread that positivity to his teammates. Rangnick, unconvinced, ordered Greenwood, Anthony Elanga and Donny van de Beek to warm up five minutes into the second-half. The United supporters serenaded the ever-absent Edinson Cavani before and after the game.
Maguire was not as forthcoming with the ball beyond the halfway line. He and Lindelof were cumbersome on the counter-attack, with Lindelof uneasy against Pukki until his enforced withdrawal for the haphazard Eric Bailly.
As the conditions changed, Norwich scented blood and had United penned in through four quick corners but De Gea was unbeatable and Ronaldo unflappable after he was tugged inside the area.
The United supporters rocked to another carol as they homed in on victory: "Oh what fun it is to see United win away." It was their first since Solskjaer's last win.
