Stoke City dealt Manchester United a major blow in their efforts to gain a spot in next season’s Champions League with a Charlie Adam double giving the Potters a 2-1 win at the Britannia Stadium. In ferocious wind, the two sides produced a contest that was frantic in tempo, but often lacking in quality. Ultimately, it was the hosts who dealt with the inclement conditions the better to grab a vital win that moves them out of the Premier League relegation zone.
There was plenty of fortune about the opening goal late in the first half as Adam’s long-range free-kick took a pivotal deflection off of Michael Carrick. United responded right after half-time with Juan Mata delightfully setting up Robin van Persie to get his second goal in as many games since his return from injury. But it was Stoke, despite their deficiency in possession, who produced a goal good enough to win any game when Adam drove in a sensational strike.
It was a bad day all round for Manchester United, who began it with such optimism as new signing Mata lined up alongside Van Persie and Wayne Rooney for the first time in a trio expected to lead their side into the top four. But injuries to Jonny Evans and Phil Jones in the opening 45 minutes meant a reshuffle to the side and Rooney deployed for much of the match in the middle of midfield. Other than the goal, there was precious few quality contributions from the trio. When a Rooney free-kick was brilliantly touched onto the post by Asmir Begovic in injury time, United’s last chance had gone.
It means that United have now lost an extraordinary eight league games already this season. If their long pined for revival is to come, it may well now arrive too late to garner United a spot among Europe’s elite -- something which has been taken for granted for as long as many of the club’s fans can remember. If Liverpool were to beat West Brom on Sunday, then Untied would find themselves nine points behind their fierce rivals in the battle for the top four, with just 14 matches remaining.
More to follow.
Stoke City 2-1 Manchester United All Goals by all-goals
VIDEO Stoke 2-1 Manchester United: Highlights; Van Persie Goal Not Enough As Adam Double Sinks United
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