Stoke City hold Manchester United after late De Gea howler
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
ByEurosport
Updated 02/10/2016 at 13:27 GMT
Premier League, Old Trafford – Manchester United 1 (Martial, 69) Stoke City 1 (Allen, 82)
Stoke City's Joe Allen celebrates scoring their equaliser against Manchester United at Old Trafford
Image credit: Reuters
Joe Allen capitalised on a rare David de Gea error to cancel out Anthony Martial’s opener and give Stoke a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
United were unsurprisingly unchanged from their last Premier League outing, the comprehensive 4-1 Premier League thrashing of champions Leicester City, meaning Wayne Rooney was once again amongst the substitutes.
Jose Mourinho’s continued demotion of his captain appeared a fully justified decision as the hosts peppered the Stoke goal. However, with Lee Grant in inspired form, United failed to force the breakthrough their utter dominance deserved.
United boss Mourinho turned to his bench in search of inspiration, and sent on Rooney and Martial with 67 minutes gone and it was the Frenchman who produced a key intervention just two minutes later, when he curled a devilish effort beyond the grasp of Grant.
United could – and probably should – have added to their advantage before Stoke made them pay with 82 minutes gone when Allen capitalised on De Gea's fumble to snatch a point for the Potters.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2016/10/02/1942794-40851365-2560-1440.jpg)
Manchester United's Anthony Martial celebrates scoring their first goal with team mates
Image credit: Reuters
TALKING POINT
Is Anthony Martial coming back into form?
He had struggled for much of this season, with slow thinking and poor finishing. But this time, from the bench, he showed the poor Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata how it was done. Driving into the box and making the most of his very first chance, he should usurp one of these players if he can keep it up.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2016/10/02/1942801-40851505-2560-1440.jpg)
Manchester United's French striker Anthony Martial (R) celebrates with Manchester United's Dutch midfielder Daley Blind after scoring the opening goal of the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Stoke City at Old Trafford in
Image credit: AFP
MAN OF THE MATCH
Lee Grant (Stoke City): He eventually fell to Martial, but his considered, unruffled performance at 33 and making his first-ever appearance at Old Trafford, kept Stoke in the game for more than an hour. It has been a sensible, surprise signing from Mark Hughes in a disappointing season so far.
PLAYER RATINGS
Manchester United: De Gea 5, Valencia 5, Blind 5, Smalling 6, Bailly 6, Pogba 6, Herrera 5, Lingard 6, Mata 5, Rashford 6, Ibrahimovic 6. Subs: Rooney 6, Martial 7, Memphis 6.
Stoke City: Grant 8, Johnson 6, Shawcross 6, Martins Indi 6, Pieters 6, Cameron 5, Whelan 5, Allen 7, Shaqiri 5, Bony 4, Arnautovic 5. Subs: Crouch 6, Walters 6, Bardsley 6.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2016/10/02/1942788-40851245-2560-1440.jpg)
Stoke City's Joe Allen scores their first goal
Image credit: Eurosport
KEY EVENTS
22' - GRANT SAVE - Mata tries a chip from just inside the box, and Grant laps backwards to tip it over for a corner on the left. The cross comes in from Pogba, to the back post, and he angles a header across goal and wide.
28' - LINGARD SHOT - Ibrahimovic flicks in a cross to the near post, Lingard reaches it, but Grant turns it around the corner with an excellent reaction save.
54' - HERRERA YELLOW - Lingard is released down the left. Grant races out to punt it away, and Herrera is booked for smashing Allen. He raked his studs down his knee - he pulls out a bit - and could have been sent off.
69'- GOAL! Manchester United 1-0 Stoke City. Martial scores - Martial skips into the box, Rooney mis-controls, Cameron's tackle runs back to him, and Martial curls it into the top corner.
82' - GOAL! Manchester United 1-1 Stoke. Allen scores - Calamitous from De Gea. He pushes out a poor shot from Johnson, Walters forces the ball past him, and it comes for Allen to prod in from a yard out.
89' - POGBA HEADER - Pogba sends a header crashing against the crossbar from close range.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2016/10/02/1942802-40851525-2560-1440.jpg)
Stoke City's Welsh midfielder Joe Allen celebrates after he scores Stoke's equalizer during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Stoke City at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on October 2, 2016.
Image credit: AFP
KEY STATS
Man Utd have won 13 points from their opening seven games this season; three fewer than their total at this stage of 2015/16 under Louis van Gaal.
Mark Hughes has failed to win his last 10 Premier League matches against Manchester United at Old Trafford as a visiting manager (D1 L9).
Stoke have failed to win any of their opening seven games to a top-flight season for the first time since 1973/74.
Anthony Martial scored his first substitute goal in the Premier League since his debut v Liverpool.
Martial ended a run of 10 games in all competitions without a goal for Man Utd.
Joe Allen scored in consecutive Premier League games for the first time since October 2011.
All five of Stoke’s Premier League goals this season have come in the second half. Indeed, they are the only PL side yet to score a first half goal this term.
Lee Grant made eight saves versus Manchester United; the joint-most by a goalkeeper in a Premier League game this season.
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article