Man Utd 2-0 Stoke City: Spot-Kick Brace Puts Weakened United Level At The Top (Photos & Highlights)
By Alan Duffy
Manchester United 2-0 Stoke City – Premier League – 31st January 2011
A penalty kick either side of half-time was enough to give an under-par United side a vital win at Old Trafford on Tuesday night, a victory that sees them go level with title rivals City at the top of the table.
With 11 first-teamers out of action, Sir Alex Ferguson was forced to start with rookie Ben Amos in goal, while Dimitar Berbatov and Javier Hernandez, all too often left on the sidelines, started up front.
United struggled to get going in the first-half but were awarded a spot-kick when Jermaine Pennat fouled Park Ji-Sung in the box. The Little Carrot, or whatever they call Hernandez, fired home from the spot and it was a similar scenario on 53 minutes, when Berbatov, the Big Beetroot, netted the penalty after Antonio Valencia was fouled by Jonathan Walters.
The Potters provided little in the way of a goal threat themselves and the game ambled towards its predictable conclusion. Not a vintage performance by United by any means, but one which sees them up the pressure on City.
Photos…
Highlights to follow…
Photos: PA
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r u friggin daft? ‘under-par’ united side?
If you meant in terms of players featured on the pitch, then MAYBE you can make such a statement but in terms of their performance today, no sir. Somebody didn’t even watch the game….
You are correct Pepe, the lads were brilliant
I’m pretty sure they should have had 4 penalties as well
I’m pretty sure Alan was referring to ‘par’ as being Utd’s regular first-team, so under par would obviously refer to the fact that they were essentially playing a second-string side. It was hardly a mindblowing perfomance though was it?
Well yes, the fact that Rooney, Nani, Young, both of MU first choice keepers were missing, and not to mention all the other injuries, the squad did seem pretty sub-par on paper…
Performance wise, at one point United had 82% possession, and Carrick alone made more passes than the entire Stoke team. Not mind-blowing but certainly deserving of praise.