Louis van Gaal is under pressure having gone five games without a win ahead of the visit of the Canaries on Saturday

David de Gea insists Manchester United are working hard to turn their form around as Norwich City prepare to head to Old Trafford in the Premier League on Saturday.

Louis van Gaal’s side are without a win in their last five games in all competitions and are six points behind table-topping Leicester City following a 2-1 defeat at  Bournemouth last weekend.

However, United have been strong on their own turf this season and are yet to be beaten in seven home league matches.

With four fixtures in the space of two weeks approaching, including the visit of Chelsea, goalkeeper De Gea hopes hard work on the training ground pays off.

“We know that the month of December is always a tough one with a lot of fixtures, and the tiredness can build up, so we need to come out of it at the end with a few good results,” De Gea told United’s official website.

“We’re working on it right now. We’re training hard and we’re preparing well so we can go into those games at our highest level of fitness in order to get through December well-placed near the top of the league.”

Defensive injuries have forced Van Gaal to hand debuts to the likes of Guillermo Varela and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson. United, though, have been formidable at the back this season, conceding just 12 league goals and having kept the most clean sheets in the Premier League with nine. Norwich, by comparison, have kept the fewest (one).

The emergence of Varela and Borthwick-Jackson excites De Gea and he believes it signals a bright future for the club.

“I think we have a very young side and I think that the youngsters who are coming up through the youth ranks are fitting in really well,” he added.

“They are all good players and after all they represent the future of Manchester United and I reckon that gradually they will become the side of the future and we’re all delighted that they’re with us.”

Norwich have only beaten United twice in the Premier League, though neither of those came at Old Trafford.

Alex Neil’s side have only been victorious once in their last 11 games in all competitions and sit in the relegation zone due to an inferior goal difference to Swansea City.

The Norwich boss will remain without Andre Wisdom (hamstring) and Matt Jarvis (knee) as he looks to end a run of four straight top-flight defeats on the road.

Van Gaal could welcome Wayne Rooney back to the side with the striker’s recovery from an ankle injury that has kept him out since last month’s clash with Leicester nearing completion.

Should he feature at Old Trafford, the captain will become the 10th United player to reach 500 appearances for the club.

Bastian Schweinsteiger, however, will be suspended, but Chris Smalling (groin), Matteo Darmian (hamstring) and Ander Herrera (hamstring) could return.

Concerns over the South American duo loom for the Catalans ahead of Saturday’s Liga clash with Deportivo at Camp Nou

Barcelona will face their final Liga match before the Club World Cup against Deportivo with concerns over the fitness of star duo Lionel Messi and Neymar.

Neymar, who has been nominated alongside Messi and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the final three contenders for the Ballon d’Or for the first time in his career, picked up a groin injury in training this week and was forced to miss the 1-1 Champions League draw with Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday.

Messi, meanwhile, also sat out a recovery training session on Thursday, though the club cited “personal reasons” for his absence rather the hamstring problem it was feared he had suffered in Germany.

Both forwards are now in doubt for the clash with Deportivo at Camp Nou on Saturday and Barca will be anxious over their availability for the Club World Cup, with the European champions heading to Tokyo in the coming days.

With Neymar injured and question marks raised over Messi following that tough encounter in Germany on Wednesday, Deportivo full-back Luisinho believes they have a strong chance of extending their unbeaten run to six matches.

“It’s a pretty difficult game. We have the hope of taking something and the moment is good, because the team are going through a good moment. That’s ideal to play against Barcelona,” he said.

Ivan Rakitic, however, feels the difficult 1-1 draw with Leverkusen could serve Barca well for the coming challenges as they look to end 2015 on top of the Liga table and as the newly-crowned world champions.

“It’s always good to have a hard time. It’s good for what’s still to come this season,” he told BeIn Sports.

“They [Leverkusen] played very aggressively and we have to congratulate them. They started strong and that can help us.”

Barca coach Luis Enrique handed starts to youngsters Sergi Samper and Wilfrid Kaptoum against Leverkusen as a handful of first-team stars were afforded rests, meaning the line-up on Saturday should remain strong even if Messi and Neymar are unavailable.

Dani Alves is back after being banned for the Leverkusen game, while Sergi Roberto (ankle) and Jeremy Mathieu (thigh) could return to the matchday squad. Douglas (foot) and Rafinha (knee) are Barca’s only other long-term absentees.

Pedro Mosquera is banned for the visitors, who are likely to be without Oriol Riera (hamstring) and Celso Borges (foot), after both could only train separately from the main group on Wednesday. Federico Cartabia is also struggling for full fitness, while Luis Alberto (groin) and Fabri (knee) are out.

Key Opta Stats:

– Barcelona have won every home league game they have played this season (W7).
– The last side to stop Barcelona winning at the Camp Nou in La Liga was Deportivo in the last game last season (2-2).
– The last two Galician sides to have played at Camp Nou in La Liga secured points: Celta de Vigo won on MD10 in 2014-15 (0-1) and Deportivo drew on MD38 that season (2-2).
– The Riazor side have lost just one game away from home in La Liga this season (W3 D3), their best such record at this point since 2005-06.
– Deportivo are, alongside Atletico Madrid, the only Liga side yet to have been shown a red card this season.
– Luis Suarez and Neymar (eight apiece) have scored 16 out of the last 17 Barca goals at Camp Nou in La Liga.
– Messi has scored in his last five league appearances against Deportivo (10 goals).
– Lucas Perez has scored eight of the last 12 Deportivo goals in La Liga.

The Turkish club only need a point to ensure their progression to the knockout stages of the competition and face the already eliminated Scottish side on Thursday

Fenerbahce will be without star striker Robin van Persie when they host Celtic, with the Turkish club needing a draw to qualify for the next round of the Europa League.

Vitor Pereira’s men are on the brink of qualification and one point would be enough to seal a place in the knockout stages, while Ronny Deila’s Celtic are already out of the competition after taking just two points from five Group H games.

Only pride is at stake for Celtic after defeat to Ajax sealed their fate in their last Europa League fixture, while Fenerbahce won 2-0 at Molde to keep their hopes alive.

A thigh injury has ruled Van Persie out of the fixture but the Netherlands striker has only scored five times since signing for Fenerbahce in the summer. Denmark defender Simon Kjaer and Portugal winger Nani are also unavailable through suspension.

Fenerbahce were on a run of four successive victories before drawing at Gaziantepspor on Sunday, a result that leaves the side third in the Turkish Super Lig after they missed the chance to go top.

“The Celtic game is one of the most important of the season for us,” said Fenerbahce midfielder Mehmet Topal ahead of the club’s 200th Uefa club competition game.

“There’s a chance we could top the group if we beat them.”

Deila, whose Celtic side have not won any of their last 10 games in the Europa League but are three points clear at the summit of the Scottish Premiership, said: “We are going to use this game to get more European experience.

“With good performances you get more confidence and that is what we hope to get from this match. Hopefully a good result too.

“We will see what we do with the players but we won’t change the whole team. We would never do that. We have a duty to other teams to fight for the points. You learn a lot about European football but also about your own team.

“Everybody understands that we have to make improvements. It’s very clear to me what I need to improve for next season.

“You could say defending but it’s about individual improvements and improving as a team. We have to make the squad stronger and better. That is about developing the players who are here and adding some who can make us even stronger.”

Fenerbahce, semi-finalists in 2013, drew 2-2 at Celtic Park earlier in the competition with the Turkish side fighting back from two goals down to claim a point thanks to a brace from Fernandao and the Turks have not conceded in three Europa League games since their trip to Glasgow.

The Ligue 1 side are yet to qualify for the knockout stages and must defeat Mauricio Pochettino’s men and hope that Anderlecht fail to beat Group J rivals Qarabag

Leonardo Jardim hopes Monaco‘s promising youngsters can lead the way against Tottenham on Thursday and seal their progress to the knockout stages of the Europa League.

The Ligue 1 side face an uphill task to make it through the group stages after their 2-0 home defeat to Anderlecht two weeks ago.

They sit third in Group J with six points from five games heading into Thursday’s encounter and not only need to see off Spurs, but must also hope their Belgian rivals drop points at home to Qarabag.

Jardim refuses to throw in the towel just yet, though, and hopes they can build on their 2-1 win over Bastia on Saturday, suggesting their good form away from home could make the difference.

“The team is progressing. We were aggressive against Bastia at the weekend,” Jardim said at a news conference.

“It was an important victory because we achieved it with a lot of young players, which corresponds to the club’s project of developing youngsters.

“It is great to win matches and that is always our ambition.

“It is difficult to explain why we are better away from home, but the team will continue to develop.”

Jardim will have to make do without a number of first-team regulars, though, with Guido Carrillo (calf), Fabio Coentrao (thigh), Ivan Cavaleiro (back), Joao Moutinho (hip), Thomas Lemar (ankle) and Jeremy Toulalan (thigh) all expected to miss the trip to White Hart Lane.

Tottenham, meanwhile, have already booked their ticket for the last 32, but will be looking to clinch top spot in the group.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men lead the table with 10 points, three clear of second-placed Anderlecht.

Tottenham and Monaco played out a 1-1 draw on matchday two in their first meeting in the competition, but the Premier League side have reasons for optimism thanks to their fine record against French opposition, with just one defeat in seven matches.

Additionally, Tottenham have won both of their European home matches this term and are unbeaten in seven Europa League fixtures at White Hart Lane – winning five of those – since a 3-1 loss to Benfica in March 2014.

Pochettino will be without the likes of Nabil Bentaleb, Nacer Chadli, Ryan Mason and Alex Pritchard on Thursday, with all four being plagued by ankle injuries, while the Tottenham manager could also opt to rest key players such as Harry Kane, Jan Vertonghen and Eric Dier ahead of a busy Christmas period.

The Gunners need goals in Greece as they look to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League for the 16th successive season.

Joel Campbell believes Arsenal face their “most important game of the season so far” against Olympiacos, as the English side travel to Greece looking to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Arsene Wenger’s squad go on the road knowing they have their destiny in their own hands – if they win by any other score than 1-0 or 2-1, they will make the knockout stages of Europe’s premier club competition for a 16th season in a row.

Goals, therefore, are going to be crucial for the visitors, who lost 3-2 at home to Olympiacos in September.

Campbell scored the first for Arsenal in their 3-1 home win over Sunderland in Premier League action on Saturday. However, that was just the second time in their last six outings that they have found the net more than once in a game.

“[The win over Sunderland] was a good result for the team,” Campbell told the club’s official website.

“We got the result and that’s what we wanted. Now we have to prepare mentally and physically for Wednesday’s game because it will be very difficult.

“We already played against Olympiacos at Emirates Stadium. They are a great team, a great rival and especially because they play at home.

“It is the most important game of the season so far. It will be a cup final and we have to win to continue in the Champions League.”

The Costa Rican also knows how tough it will be playing at Olympiacos’ Karaiskakis Stadium, as he spent the 2013-14 season on loan at the Greek team.

“In the Pireo [Karaiskakis Stadium] it is very difficult to get points but it is the last game of the group stage and we will give our best,” Campbell added.

Arsenal’s record away to Olympiacos does not make for pretty reading – they have lost three times against them since 2009, although on each of those occasions they had already qualified.

This time, though, the match will decide who goes through alongside Group F winners Bayern Munich. Whoever misses out on second place will go into the knockout stages of the Europa League instead.

Felipe Pardo was one of Olympiacos’ goalscorers when they won at the Emirates Stadium, but has not played in their last three games due to a calf injury.

Arsenal’s midfield anchors Francis Coquelin and Santi Cazorla have been ruled out until well into next year, although Aaron Ramsey has made his return to the starting side in recent weeks and scored at the weekend.