Norwich, England, Feb 27: Ryan Giggs marked his 900th appearance for Manchester United by grabbing an injury-time winner in a 2-1 victory over Norwich on Sunday, keeping the champions in touch with leader Manchester City in the Premier League title race.
Giggs met Ashley Young's deep cross with a deft volley with the outside of his left foot to restore the two-point gap to City, which dispatched Blackburn 3-0 on Saturday.
"An amazing career and an amazing man," United manager Alex Ferguson said of Giggs. "But we were lucky today. Norwich were the better team."
Another veteran midfielder, the 37-year-old Paul Scholes, put United in the lead in the seventh minute but striker Grant Holt's left-foot strike in the 83rd looked to have dented the visitors' title charge.
With Wayne Rooney missing the game due to a throat infection, United relied on its old guard to get the team out of trouble, with the 38-year-old Giggs showing his enduring class not just with his winner but his overall performance at Carrow Road.
"It's incredible for Ryan to mark his 900th game with the winning goal with the last kick of the ball — he deserves it for his service to the club," Ferguson said. "For a player to play for one club for 900 games is exceptional and it won't be done again."
United should have had the game wrapped up well before Giggs' late intervention.
England striker Danny Welbeck was the main culprit, wasting three gilt-edged chances in the second half with just goalkeeper John Ruddy to beat.
Giggs also struck the crossbar with a volley from Phil Jones' cross in the 72nd but the former Wales winger had the last laugh.
"We were excellent but that's what happens against United. They've done that for years and years," Norwich manager Paul Lambert said. "We were running on empty at the end but we put in a massive effort. There is nothing to be ashamed of — we gave a really good account of ourselves."
Scholes' goal was his second in the league since coming out of retirement, nodding home from close range after a center from Nani eluded both Welbeck and United striker Javier Hernandez.
