Sunday April 14, 2013 Day 33 Finished Britannia Stadium

Stoke City 0 - 2 Manchester United

  • Carrick 4’
  • van Persie 66’ (pen.)

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  1. Premier League - United close on title as Van Persie ends scoring drought

    Premier League - United close on title as Van Persie ends scoring drought

    Manchester United closed in on their 20th title when they won 2-0 at struggling Stoke City on Sunday. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Stoke City
    • Manchester United
    • 90+3' It is all over! A 2-0 win for Manchester United. They are so close to the title now. Thanks for joining us today.
    • 89' We are into three minutes of time added on.
    • 88' This has been all very routine for United as Shotton sums up the frustrations by making a mess of an attempted cross.
    • 87' Stoke are right in the relegation mire after this result. They are only three points clear of Wigan, who have two games in hand.
    • 86' Michael Owen has three goals in 14 Premier League career matches against United – the last when he scored twice for Liverpool in 2001.
    • 85' United just keeping the ball. Jerome then booked for catching Vidic late.
    • 84' Shotton wallops a shot miles over the bar from distance. Leaning back. Ball was always heading over.
    • 83' Change coming for Stoke as Peter Crouch arrives to take over from Kenwyne Jones.
    • 82' Van Persie swings in the corner-kick, but Carrick fails to direct the header at goal.
    • 81' Phil Jones sees a cross cut out by Huth, but United have a corner here.
    • 80' Adam with a free-kick. Plenty of dip and swerve on that delivery, but De Gea does enough to tip it round a post.
    • 79' Looks like Crouch may also be arriving for Stoke. United have taken the sting out of this match in the past 10 minutes.
    • 78' Stoke conceded their sixth Premier League penalty this season – only Wigan (7), Aston Villa (7) and Norwich (7) have given away more.
    • 77' Hernandez departs to be replaced by Danny Welbeck for United.
    • 76' Owen is thrown on to take over from Walters for the home side.
    • 75' United will be 15 points clear at the top with six games remaining this term.
    • 74' Van Persie scored his 50th Premier League goal in the past two seasons – 11 more than any other player since the start of 2011-12 season. Wayne Rooney is next with 39.
    • 73' Owen is warming up for Stoke. Perhaps the former United striker will be given the nod then.
    • 72' United remain the only Premier League team not to have a penalty awarded against them this term.
    • 71' Stoke trying to open up space in that United defence, but continue to have little or no joy in finding space.
    • 70' Stoke introduce Jerome for Cameron.
    • 69' Vidic slips, and Kenwyne Jones falls over him. Appeals for a penalty, but not sure Vidic knew much about that.
    • 68' Shotton has a chance inside the United area. Evra slipped, but Shotton could only place his effort straight into the arms of De Gea.
    • 67' A few grim faces on those Stoke City fans. This could yet get worse for the home side today.
    • 66' GOAL! Van Persie nets his 20th goal of the season for United. Brilliant penalty. Begovic guessed right. But was never making it to his left.
    • 65' PENALTY TO UNITED! Rooney to Van Persie, who is brought crashing to the deck by Wilkinson. Right call. Van Persie to take this spot-kick.
    • 64' Michael Owen is on the bench for Stoke, but I'm not sure he is going to see any action today. Or for the rest of the season.
    • 63' Rooney's free-kick is cleared by Jones before Valencia is booked for a late tackle on Adam.
    • 62' Shotton with a late push on the back of Hernandez. Free-kick out wide for United.
    • 61' Jones spots the opporunity to have an attempt at goal for Stoke, but he drills the ball wide of the target.
    • 60' Adam lifts the ball straight into the arms of De Gea from distance. Not sure that qualifies as a shot at goal.
    • 59' Stoke have scored 16 second half Premier League goals this season – 20 less than Manchester United (36).
    • 58' Cameron Jerome and Peter Crouch are possible options Stoke could turn to out there.
    • 57' For all Stoke's huffing and puffing, can't remember Stoke testing De Gea too many times today.
    • 56' Adam decides to have a go from 30 yards out. Plenty of venom on the shot, but the ball is safely into the arms of De Gea.
    • 55' Manchester United have led at half time on 19 previous occasions in the Premier League this season, failing to win only once – in the 1-1 draw at Tottenham.
    • 54' N'Zonzi finds Shotton free. He picks out Walters, but the shot is always sailing over the bar.
    • 53' Vidic showing his class to halt the run of Jones as he tried to embark upon a run from deep.
    • 52' Lovely pass from Hernandez to find Van Persie, but he snatches at the shot as he wallops it into the sidenetting.
    • 51' Adam hoists a decent ball into the United box, but Evra is well positioned to meet that danger and clear.
    • 50' Jones nods wide of goal from inside the United area. Begovic with a long free-kick from deep inside the Stoke half.
    • 49' Ferdinand retreats deep. Lifts a long ball forward from the back. Wilkinson then knocks the ball back to Begovic.
    • 48' No changes from either side at the break. Van Persie sees a cross cut out. Ferdinand then tries to bring it out from the back.
    • 47' Van Persie has not scored a goal for 12 hours. He is under a high ball as Begovic comes off his line to collect.
    • 46' United get the second half off and running. Stoke under immense strain to recover.
    • 45+3' There goes the whistle for the break. A 1-0 lead for United at the break. A fairly positive first period for United.
    • 44' We are into three minutes of time added on in the first half.
    • 43' Shawcross sees the ball hit off him and drop behind from an Adam corner.
    • 42' Tony Pulis trying to encourage his side as Van Persie drops back to help out his defence in the closing moments of this half.
    • 41' Wilkinson sees a shot blocked by the United shirts. Stoke fans trying to encourage his side.
    • 40' Wind having a factor in this match. United seem to be coping well with or without it.
    • 39' Rooney goes for goal from 30 yards out. Plenty of curl in the free-kick, but the ball flies wide of the target.
    • 38' Rooney picks out Valencia with a decent pass out wide. But he falls at the key moment. Walters then collects.
    • 37' United again go down in the middle of the park, but that only invites Begovic to come back off his line again to wallop the ball clear.
    • 36' Stoke toiling to make any advances, but they have a free-kick as Valencia is caught late by Walters.
    • 35' Begovic quickly off his line to thump the loose ball clear as Hernandez raced through the middle. His pace a real concern for that Stoke defence.
    • 34' A change of shirt now. Going to be a few minutes added to this half. Stoke down to 10 men at the moment with Wilkinson off the pitch.
    • 33' Wilkinson is needing a spot of treatment here. Caught late on the head and is getting his head bandaged from Hernandez's boot.
    • 32' Manchester United have kept a clean sheet in each of their last three Premier League away matches and not conceded more than once since December 9 (at Man City).
    • 31' Rooney throws the free-kick into the area at pace, but Hernandez is penalised for a high boot.
    • 30' Walters robbed of the ball by Carrick. Shawcross then knocks the ball out of play rather than risk a backpass towards Begovic.
    • 29' Evra manages to pick out Kagawa, but he overhits the cross by some margin. That is a goalkick to the home side.
    • 28' Vidic and Adam collide in the box from a Walters flick-on. Half-hearted appeals for a penalty. Wasn't really much in that.
    • 27' Stoke have scored seven goals in 12 Premier League matches in 2013 – an average of one goal every 154 minutes.
    • 26' Valencia with a fine run and cross, but Stoke are well placed in defence to deal with the danger.
    • 25' Adam really needs to get his act together. Wanting too much time on the ball and not really getting it under pressure from that United midfield.
    • 24' Van Persie decides to go for goal from a long way out, but the ball flies well wide of goal.
    • 23' Valencia trying to land on a hopeful ball over the top. Wind helps to take the ball into the path of Begovic.
    • 22' Rooney about to take a corner for United. Floats the ball in, but Carrick heads wide of goal for a goalkick to the home side.
    • 21' Here is the report from the goings on at St James' Park earlier this afternoon. A 3-0 win for Sunderland over Newcastle. Premier League - Di Canio's Sunderland thump Newcastle to boost survival bid
    • 20' Manchester United are unbeaten in last 53 Premier League matches they have scored first, winning 49 times, since a 2-1 defeat at Chelsea in March 2011.
    • 19' Huth is going to be penalised here for a late tackle on Hernandez. Referee is going to speak to the big defender.
    • 18' Huth meets the free-kick inside the Stoke box, but can only nod wide of goal from Whelan's delivery. Much better from the home side.
    • 17' Stoke earn a free-kick around 35 yards from the United goal. Adam standing over this one.
    • 16' Carrick’s fourth minute goal was the fastest away from home by a United player in the division this season, and fastest since Wayne Rooney’s 1st minute goal at QPR in December 2011.
    • 15' Finally, Stoke get some momentum as Ferdinand clears under pressure from Jones.
    • 14' Carrick was the 18th different player to score a Premier League goal for United this season – becoming the club’s outright most different scorers in a Premier League season, bettering 2006-07 and 2009-10 - 17 each.
    • 13' Not sure this was the prescribed start Stoke fans wanted with their side barely getting a touch of the ball. Wilkinson empties the ball into the stands.
    • 12' United on the move again. Stoke with all their players marooned in their own half.
    • 11' Van Persie with another corner for United, but this time he overhits the delivery by some margin. Poor stuff from him for once.
    • 10' Brilliant piece of play by Rooney. Unloads the shot from distance, but Begovic is well placed to make the block.
    • 9' United keeping the ball with some relish. Stoke camped in their own half.
    • 8' Tony Pulis trying to get his side to calm matters down here. Rooney getting far too much time on the ball.
    • 7' Michael Carrick scored his first Premier League goal of the season and first since January 2012 at home to Bolton.
    • 6' Van Persie this time goes low with the corner into the area, but Evra smashes the ball over the bar. Almost a 2-0 lead.
    • 5' Bad news for Stoke is United have another corner here...
    • 4' Sir Alex Ferguson chewing on his gum as per usual. Dream start for the visiting side after their loss to Manchester City earlier in the week.
    • 3' GOAL! Carrick stabs a loose ball into the net from Van Persie's corner. Ball bobbled around and Stoke are caught cold. United lead 1-0.
    • 2' United looking to get on the ball early on here as you would expect. Walters trying to track Jones, but United win a corner.
    • 1' Stoke get the action off and running at the Britannia Stadium.
    • 14:00 Almost ready to go in this match. Sunderland's 3-0 win at Newcastle not exactly good news for Stoke City ahead of this match.
    • 13:55 Sir Alex Ferguson: "We have a job to do. The incentives are there for ourselves in the sense that we've only got seven games left. The challenge is there for Stoke as well. I don't think they will go down but, nonetheless, they’re in a precarious situation because, down the bottom of that league, you don’t pick up a lot of points. I think they'll get enough to get out."
    • 13:50 Tony Pulis: "It is a game we look forward to. To it your wits against Sir Alex and play against Manchester United is fantastic for this football club. We've given them good games over the years. We know it is going to be tough. I accept in football and life, you will have good times and bad times. You have to deal with it. Six games to go...it is a real challenge.
    • 13:45 Stoke make three changes from their defeat to Aston Villa with Wilkinson, Adam and Whelan coming in for Wilson, Etherington & Whitehead
    • 13:40 Nemanja Vidic back for Manchester United in one of four changes. Looks like a very attacking line-up with Javier Hernandez, Shinji Kagawa, Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney all starting.
    • 13:35 TEAM NEWS: Stoke City: Begovic; Cameron, Shawcross, Huth, Wilkinson; Shotton, Whelan, Nzonzi, Adam; Walters, Jones. Subs: Sorensen, Palacios, Owen, Whitehead, Kightly, Crouch, Jerome. Manchester United: De Gea; Jones, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra; Valencia, Kagawa, Carrick, Rooney, Hernandez, Van Persie. Subs: Lindegaard, Evans, Giggs, Smalling, Welbeck, Cleverley, Buttner
    • 13:30 Hello and welcome to our live comments from the Britannia Stadium as Stoke City take on Manchester United.

  • Summary

    • 69' Vidic slips, and Kenwyne Jones falls over him. Appeals for a penalty, but not sure Vidic knew much about that.
    • 66' GOAL! Van Persie nets his 20th goal of the season for United. Brilliant penalty. Begovic guessed right. But was never making it to his left.
    • 65' PENALTY TO UNITED! Rooney to Van Persie, who is brought crashing to the deck by Wilkinson. Right call. Van Persie to take this spot-kick.
    • 18' Huth meets the free-kick inside the Stoke box, but can only nod wide of goal from Whelan's delivery. Much better from the home side.
    • 10' Brilliant piece of play by Rooney. Unloads the shot from distance, but Begovic is well placed to make the block.
    • 6' Van Persie this time goes low with the corner into the area, but Evra smashes the ball over the bar. Almost a 2-0 lead.
    • 3' GOAL! Carrick stabs a loose ball into the net from Van Persie's corner. Ball bobbled around and Stoke are caught cold. United lead 1-0.
    • 13:35 TEAM NEWS: Stoke City: Begovic; Cameron, Shawcross, Huth, Wilkinson; Shotton, Whelan, Nzonzi, Adam; Walters, Jones. Subs: Sorensen, Palacios, Owen, Whitehead, Kightly, Crouch, Jerome. Manchester United: De Gea; Jones, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra; Valencia, Kagawa, Carrick, Rooney, Hernandez, Van Persie. Subs: Lindegaard, Evans, Giggs, Smalling, Welbeck, Cleverley, Buttner

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

  • Rate Players

    Rate Players

    Please to rate the players.

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    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      5.4 6
      Defenders
      4.8 4
      4.5 5
      5.2 5
      Substitution Out71′ 5 5
      Midfielders
      5.1 5
      5.1 5
      5.1 4
      5.5 5
      Strikers
      Substitution Out84′ 5.9 5
      Substitution Out77′ 5.3 5
      Subs
      Substitution In77′ 5.4 6
      Substitution In84′ 5 6
      Substitution In71′ Yellow Card 4.8 6
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      7.2 7
      Defenders
      6.4 7
      7 7
      6.2 7
      6.3 7
      Midfielders
      7 8
      Goal 7.1 7
      Yellow Card 6 7
      6.9 7
      Strikers
      Substitution Out78′ 6.8 7
      Goal 6.9 7
      Subs
      Substitution In78′ 4.6 6

Comment 171 - 191 of 191

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  1. Get yourselves up the Vale the Pope has scored more­ goals than you lot come on the VALE TWOY

    From John, on Mon 15 Apr 21:16

  2. SUPERMAn Whitehead , Jerome and Crouch should have­ started the match and put pressure straight from the­ start on United's defence , who had Vidic back­ after injuries and dodgy Jones who had to cope with­ A.Jones of Stoke , but why put on Adams , Shotton and­ N'Nzonzi who did not represent good counter players­ against Rooney , Carrick and Valencia who had ' the­ frredom of the Park' ....................PULIS you­ are weakening man and giving in to Psycho Fergal too­ easily !

    From Stanislaw, on Mon 15 Apr 12:06

  3. how did Michael owens carer get injured?

    From beverley, on Mon 15 Apr 8:17

  4. PAULO: You obviouly are suffering from Brain Damage. U­ IDIOT

    From Sam, on Mon 15 Apr 5:44

  5. At last Owen gets some game time again. Yes Owen­ maybe retiring but Stoke need his quality in front of­ goal especially when Stoke ar struggling to score right­ now. Why let others play instead of own becasue he is­ retiring when others are no where as good as Owen who­ can score with his eyes closed. Crouch and Owen up ­ front on my team-sheet all day long..its a no-brainer.­ Other wise Stoke are looking like they are going down.

    From Mark Bell, on Mon 15 Apr 4:53

  6. cant wait to see stoke in the championship.

    From John, on Sun 14 Apr 22:18

  7. we played better than last week but we were still­ negative pulis why dont sort this dispute out with­ pennant and get him back in the squad you are a joke we­ are playing for survival the players are letting us­ down they dont give 100 % and nzonzi has gode all­ defensive and shawcross is so predictable long ball all­ the time lets start playing football why play owen if­ he is retiring why not get some of the up and coming­ players in the squad shea ness palacios if he is not­ fit why play him we six points from the next two games.

    From John, on Sun 14 Apr 21:15
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Man united only scores from corners n penalties what­ #$%$ bunch can wait til this sir Alex Ferguson retires­ n take all this Mafia controlled behaviour out of EPL­ its non wonder robbievanshit piece of money grabber­ went there it won't be has fun n has exciting mancity­ title n bloody suite Nevile blaming the foreigners­ typical British u went to India Africa n still in­ Argentina u want to kick the foreigners look at BP­ Shell they all polluting Africa n feeding the dictators­ manushite

    From Paulo, on Sun 14 Apr 19:11

  9. @ Robert comment 213. Bob I think he meant Kenwyn Jones­ NOT Phil Jones.

    From wunna, on Sun 14 Apr 18:11

  10. well done united top team respect to u

    From COMPuTarooney, on Sun 14 Apr 17:34

  11. man utd #$%$ mugs

    From bobby boy, on Sun 14 Apr 17:10

  12. well Lord from comment 210.. I'm sure Jones­ won't mind being a premier league winning monkey­ aye!!!!

    From robert, on Sun 14 Apr 16:58

  13. Glory glory........

    From Sanjay, on Sun 14 Apr 16:43

  14. Manchester fans chalila again;;;;;.Carrick and RVP you­ made my day.special thanx to Sir Alex and his team for­ winning this match.Manchester for fun and God for­ life.Amen.mwewa helen, zambia­ chililabombwe.,(manchester supporter).

    From helen, on Sun 14 Apr 16:15
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    K jones is a useless monkey and always has been, he­ lives off one or two fantastic performances a season,­ the rest he's as much use as a playstaion in a­ monkey enclosure. crouch needs love and belief and­ he'll keep any team up. unfortunately you are­ running out of games to get 1. crouch confident and 2.­ teaching your midfield ball retention and passing to­ strikers

    From Lord, on Sun 14 Apr 16:13

  16. Well done United

    From Devils Advocate, on Sun 14 Apr 16:11

  17. well done united

    From RICHARD, on Sun 14 Apr 16:10

  18. WELL DONE MAN UNITED !!!

    From MANDY OLDHAM, on Sun 14 Apr 16:06

  19. Don't tell me, United were real lucky again! Should­ have had 2 players sent off, the ref and linesmen were­ bought, the Stoke players were bribed into letting­ United win. The penalty wasn't a penalty and Stoke­ should have had 3. United's goal was offside etc­ etc etc etc......Any advance on that United haters???

    From Devils Advocate, on Sun 14 Apr 16:05
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I hope this s--t !! stoke team go down !! nothing but a­ 4th division pub team , and not a very good one at that­ !!

    From Vincent, on Sun 14 Apr 16:04
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