Manchester United vs Norwich preview - Trio return for United

Posted Saturday, October 01, 2011 by PA

Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez and Jonny Evans will all be back from injury for Manchester United when Norwich visit.

Chris Smalling (groin), Nemanja Vidic (ankle) and Tom Cleverly (foot) are still missing but could return after the international break.

Paul Lambert maintains Norwich have to aim to upset United at Old Trafford, but knows any game plan can soon be "blown out of the water" by the champions.

The Canaries manager took in United's midweek Champions League clash against Basle, when the hosts threw away a 2-0 half-time lead and only scraped a draw with a last-minute goal from Ashley Young.

Despite United's less-than-impressive defensive display, Lambert knows full well the magnitude of the challenge which awaits his promoted side with strike duo Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez set to comeback into the Red Devils' attack.

"Some teams are beaten before they even go there, but I will have my own way to deal with that," Lambert said. "We have to go there with a belief, because if you don't you can get turned over.

"Hopefully you will have a game plan which will try to hurt them, but that can be blown out of the water within minutes.

"You have got to respect what you are up against, you cannot go gung-ho because they will pick you off all over the place. You have got to play with your brain a bit and hopefully that is what we will do."

Norwich will be without striker James Vaughan as he is set to be out for up to four months with a knee injury.

Centre-back Zak Whitbread is still recovering from his hamstring problem, while on-loan United defender Ritchie de Laet is unavailable against his parent club.

Defenders Elliott Ward and Dani Ayala (both knee) remain out, while young forward Oli Johnson is set for a spell on the sidelines after ankle surgery.