Norwich City ran out of luck against Manchester United - and Cristiano Ronaldo - for the second time this season.

The United superstar helped himself to an Easter hat-trick on a day when City will feel they deserved something from the game, having come back from 2-0 down.

Ronaldo had scored the only goal of the game at Carrow Road in December, and got United off to a flying start, thanks to some sloppy defending by Ben Gibson, to put the hosts ahead after just seven minutes.

The Portuguese striker punished Gibson again on 32 minutes when he climbed high above the City defender to head home a corner from the United right.

City gave themselves a fighting chances on the stroke of half-time. Teemu Pukki came deep to take possession, exchanged passes with Dimitris Giannoulis and then clipped in a lovely cross from the left of the area which the unmarked Kieran Dowell headed home.

It got even better seven minutes after the break when Dowell turned provider as Pukki slid the ball past David de Gea and in off a post.

City were looking good value for a point, at least, but then up popped Ronaldo again, this time with a free-kick from way out which Krul got a hand to but just couldn't stop.


Manchester United

(4-1-4-1)

Subs:

26 Henderson

3 Bailly

4 Jones

8 Mata (for Telles 73)

10 Rashford (for Pogba 73)

29 Wan-Bissaka

31 Matic (for Lingard 63)

46 Hannibal

75 Garnacho


Interim manager: Ralf Rangnick

- Bookings: None


Norwich City

(4-2-3-1)


Subs:

28 Gunn

2 Aarons

6 Zimmermann

7 Rupp

8 Gilmour (for McLean 73)

11 Placheta (for Dowell 73)

18 Tzolis

19 Sorensen

46 Rowe (for Lees-Melou 81)

Head coach: Dean Smith

- Bookings: xxx (foul on xxx, xx)


Added on time: 2mins/5 mins

- Venue: Old Trafford

- Referee: Andy Madley

- VAR: Mike Dean

KEY MOMENTS

2 - Jesse Lingard is free on the left of the area, but Tim Krul easily gathers his low cross

3 - CHANCE. Pierre Lees-Melou slips in Teemu Pukki in the inside right channel but de Gea is out quickly and saves at his feet.

5 - Great block from Grant Hanley to stop Jadon Sancho's shot from 20 yards

7 - Krul down low to his right to make a comfortable save from Cristano Ronaldo's shot from 20 yards

7 - GOAL UNITED (RONALDO). Ben Gibson is caught by Elanga with the ball at his feet in his own area as City try and pass it out. Elanga passes square to Ronaldo who has an empty net in which to stroke the ball home.

30 - Hanley again, sliding in to deny Sancho on the right of the area.

32 - GOAL UNITED (RONALDO). Good save at his near post by Krul to deny Jesse Lingard, but from he resulting corner Ronaldo climbs superbly ahead of Gibson to nod home.

45 - GOAL CITY (DOWELL). Teemu Pukki comes deep, exchanges passes with Giannoulis and then clips in a perfect cross for Dowell to head home.

HALF TIME – MANCHESTER UNITED 2-1 NORWICH CITY

52 - GOAL CITY (PUKKI). McLean plays the ball forward to Dowell who slides a lovely pass to Pukki who slides it past de Gea and in off a post... there's an anxious few moments as VAR has a look, but Pukki is narrowly on.

56: De Gea has to dive full-length to his right to keep out Rashica's shot.

70: Dalot does well to block Rashica's shot - Byram heads over from the corner.

75 GOAL UNITED (RONALDO). Awesome free-kick from a good 25 yards-plus - Krul gets a touch but not enough.

FULL TIME – MANCHESTER UNITED 3-2 NORWICH CITY

SNAP RATINGS:

Krul 6; Byram 7, Hanley 7, Gibson 5, Giannoulis 6; Normann 7, Lees-Melou 6, McLean 6; Dowell 7, Rashica 7; Pukki 7. SUBS: Gilmour 6, Placheta 6, Rowe N/A

MATCH STATS:

(Man United – Norwich City)

Possession: 61% - 39%

Shots: 20 - 15

Shots on Target: 9 -4

Corners: 6 - 7

Fouls: 7 - 7

Att: 73,381