Battle of Britannia
Manchester United have won 10 of 11 the Premier League meeting between them and Stoke. Stoke are looking to avoid losing four Premier League games in a row for the first time since February 2012.
Manchester United make four changes as Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick, Tom Cleverly and Phil Jones all come into the side. It is the first time Juan Mata,Rooney and Robin Van Persie will all start together.
Man United XI: De Gea; Jones, Smalling, Evans, Evra; Carrick, Cleverley; Young, Rooney, Mata; van Persie.
Subs:Lindegaard, Rafael, Valencia, Fletcher, Januzaj, Hernandez, Welbeck.
Stoke City make two changes as Steven N'Zonzi can't play after being suspended as Charlie Adam replaces him in the midfield. New January signing Peter Odemwingie makes his home debut today at the Britannia Stadium.
Stoke City XI: Begovic; Cameron, Shawcross, Wilson, Pieters; Odemwingie, Whelan, Adam, Arnautovic, Walters, Crouch
Subs:Sorensen, Muniesa, Palacios, Guidetti, Assaidi, Shotton, Ireland.
14 minutes into the match when Patrice Evra had taken a throw in on the left hand side to Juan Mata. Mata had given the ball back to Evra as the french defender had fizzed a low cross into the box. The cross had found Rooney unmarked with the Stoke City defence in front of him but his first time shot had gone just wide of the left hand post. Rooney should have scored their.
27 minutes into the game as Msn United had won a corner which Ashley Young would take from the right hand side. Youngs cross had held up inside the box as Phil Jones had got his header going goalward, the header hadn't been strong enough as it had found Van Persie to head just over the bar.
37 minutes had past as Chris Smalling had committed a foul 40 yards out from goal. Charlie Adam had step himself up dead straight in front of the goal as thr Stoke City fans had hoped to shock United who have started well. Adam had shit low as Carrick had lifted his knee up as the ball had hit it and puzzled David De Gea as the ball had rolled into the bottom right hand corner. Stoke fans celebrate in joy as De Gea would have made a comfortable save, Adam is now Stoke City's top scorer.
At half time as Stoke City go into the tunnel one goal to the good as Charlie Adams free kick had taken a deflection off of Carrick s knee.
Manchester United have been the better team and should have been ahead if Rooney had finished off a great chance. United have had most of the ball but are to prove crucial in the final third.
Stoke City have taken their only chance which was the free kick that had a stroke of luck involved but take nothing away from the Potters who have been fantastic in defence keeping United at bay.
One minute after the restart when Mata had the ball on the edge of the box with Van Persie free on thr the right hand side.The united fans had hooed for a way back into the game as Mata had thread the ball through to Van Persie as he had time to curl the ball into the bottom left corner of the net sending the united fans into exile as they celebrate with passion. Robin Van Persie and Juan Mata now have to two in two in terms of assists (Mata) goals (Van Persie).
51 minutes had past as Jonathan Walters had set the ball down to Charlie Adam as the Stoke crowd had been fearing the worst as United had started the second half well. Adam had taken his time and volleyed a balk 25 yards out into the top right hand corner a sensational strike leaving David De Gea no chance what so ever a world class strike from the former Liverpool midfielder. Stoke fans are on cloud nine as that strike would have been good enough to beat any team. Nine of Charlie Adams last ten goals for Stoke City have been at home.
62 minutes into the match when a Stoke City cross had found Chris Smalling but his clearance had been poor as he had given it straight to Arnautovic who had time to try and curl the ball into the bottom right hand corner, De Gea had been beaten as the shot had gone just wide of the right hand post so close to becoming 3-1.
76 minutes had past as Evras poor headed clearances had gone up into the air and looked to heading towards Liverpool loanee Assaidi who's volley had been caught sweetly but it hadn't been ion target going just over the bar a fantastic volley the ball had not even dropped. Into injury time when Man United had won a free kick on the left hand side which Rooney any Mata had been over the ball as United fans had hoped for a goal, the free kick had been inch perfect but so had Sorensen as he leaped to push it onto the left hand post a fantastic save.
At full time as Stoke City go 11th in the table through a Charlie Adam double settling the win for the Potters.
Manchester United had two injured players off injured and didn't take the chances that were presented to them as an eight league loss this season.
Stoke City played well and played fantastically on the counterattack as well as one of the goals of the season from Charlie Adam. David Moyes breaks another record but not a good one as Stoke beat United for the first time since 1984.
Next up for Manchester United is a home match against bottom of the leagu Fulham next Sunday.