|
|
Played
January 31, 2012 8:00 PM GMT
Old Trafford — Manchester
Referee: M. Jones
Attendance: 74719
January 31, 2012 8:00 PM GMT
Old Trafford — Manchester
Referee: M. Jones
Attendance: 74719
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Man Utd. | 1.33 | 1.06 | 1.80 | 1.00 | 1.36 | 1.01 | 1.37 | 1.30 |
| Draw | 5.00 | 7.00 | 3.50 | 36.00 | 5.00 | 15.00 | 5.05 | 5.00 |
| Stoke City | 10.00 | 29.00 | 4.40 | 71.00 | 8.00 | 50.00 | 9.50 | 9.00 |
Top of the Match
Paul Scholes
Man Utd.
Man Utd.
Antonio Valencia
Man Utd.
Man Utd.
Flop of the Match
Peter Crouch
Stoke
Stoke
Peter Crouch
Stoke
Stoke
Goal.com Rating 
Fans' Rating Manchester United 2-0 Stoke City: Chicharito & Berbatov both score penalties as hosts close in on City at top of Premier League
The Red Devils cruised to a comfortable win without really getting out of second gear as Tony Pulis' men struggled to find opportunities to test rookie keeper Ben Amos
By Alex Fisher at Old Trafford
Getty Images
Manchester United closed the gap at the top of the table with leaders Manchester City with a 2-0 win over Stoke City at Old Trafford.
The game struggled to get going at times as United dominated possession without ever creating a clear cut opportunity with both goals coming from the penalty spot as Dimitar Berbatov and Javier Hernandez both got on the scoresheet either side of half-time.
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson had something of a goalkeeping crisis before kick-off with both David de Gea and Anders Lindegaard ruled out so Ben Amos was called in to make his Premier League debut for the club. There were five other changes to the side that beat Arsenal in the Red Devils' last league match with Park, Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes, Dimitar Berbatov and Javier Hernandez all named in the starting line-up.
Tony Pulis also made a handful of changes from the Potters' last league outing with Andy Wilkinson, Jermaine Pennant, Kenwyne Jones, Dean Whitehead and Wilson Palacios all coming in to the side. Jonathan Woodgate, Glen Whelan, Rory Delap and Matthew Etherington dropped to the bench, whilst Ryan Shotton was not involved at all.
It took both teams a while to get going on a cold evening in Manchester, with both sides having wayward efforts in the opening quarter of the game, and it wasn’t until the 20th minute that a shot caused worry to either goalkeeper.
With United almost camped on the edge of the Stoke penalty area the pressure earned them a corner. The set-piece was taken short and as the cross was cleared the loose ball fell to Johnny Evans who back flicked the ball to Scholes on the edge of the area. The midfielder set himself and fired in a low volley that seemed destined for the bottom corner but a slight deflection off a crowd of Stoke defenders took the ball inches wide of the post.
The home side continued to dominate possession but without really causing Thomas Sorensen any concern at all. Just after the half-hour United’s other central midfielder Michael Carrick had the goal in his sights but, like Scholes before him, he fired wide of the post. Carrick, Park and Berbatov then combined neatly to release the midfielder inside the penalty area but his low shot across Sorensen was just beyond the far post.
There was only eight minutes of the half remaining when the game finally got the goal it had needed and it went to the home side from the penalty spot. Berbatov and Scholes combined to release Park in the penalty area and the South Korean was brought down by a sliding tackle from Pennant. Hernandez grabbed the ball and calmly fired past Sorensen to put his side ahead.
With the second half beginning as the first had ended, United continued to control the game and eight minutes into the half they were awarded their second penalty of the game. Jon Walters and Antonio Valencia tangled in the penalty area and when the Ecuadorian fell to the floor referee Mike Jones pointed to the spot. Berbatov calmly stepped up and fired it past the dive of Sorensen.
United continued to dominate but once again chances were few and far between, in fact, the best chance fell to Stoke and substitute Cameron Jerome just after the hour. The striker, who had replaced Crouch, leapt well above Johnny Evans but his effort was easily saved by Amos.
The home side cruised their way through the final half-hour of the match but again they were unable to fashion many clear cut chances as Stoke remained defiant in defence. Scholes saw a late chance well blocked by Robert Huth and Patrice Evra felt he should have had another penalty but his claims were waved away by the referee.
|
Sign up with 188BET for a FREE bet up to £25 – Great Prices, Every Game |
|
Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £50 in free bets! |
|
Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 |
|
Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
|
Sign up with Paddy Power for a free bet up to £50 |
The game struggled to get going at times as United dominated possession without ever creating a clear cut opportunity with both goals coming from the penalty spot as Dimitar Berbatov and Javier Hernandez both got on the scoresheet either side of half-time.
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson had something of a goalkeeping crisis before kick-off with both David de Gea and Anders Lindegaard ruled out so Ben Amos was called in to make his Premier League debut for the club. There were five other changes to the side that beat Arsenal in the Red Devils' last league match with Park, Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes, Dimitar Berbatov and Javier Hernandez all named in the starting line-up.
Tony Pulis also made a handful of changes from the Potters' last league outing with Andy Wilkinson, Jermaine Pennant, Kenwyne Jones, Dean Whitehead and Wilson Palacios all coming in to the side. Jonathan Woodgate, Glen Whelan, Rory Delap and Matthew Etherington dropped to the bench, whilst Ryan Shotton was not involved at all.
It took both teams a while to get going on a cold evening in Manchester, with both sides having wayward efforts in the opening quarter of the game, and it wasn’t until the 20th minute that a shot caused worry to either goalkeeper.
With United almost camped on the edge of the Stoke penalty area the pressure earned them a corner. The set-piece was taken short and as the cross was cleared the loose ball fell to Johnny Evans who back flicked the ball to Scholes on the edge of the area. The midfielder set himself and fired in a low volley that seemed destined for the bottom corner but a slight deflection off a crowd of Stoke defenders took the ball inches wide of the post.
The home side continued to dominate possession but without really causing Thomas Sorensen any concern at all. Just after the half-hour United’s other central midfielder Michael Carrick had the goal in his sights but, like Scholes before him, he fired wide of the post. Carrick, Park and Berbatov then combined neatly to release the midfielder inside the penalty area but his low shot across Sorensen was just beyond the far post.
There was only eight minutes of the half remaining when the game finally got the goal it had needed and it went to the home side from the penalty spot. Berbatov and Scholes combined to release Park in the penalty area and the South Korean was brought down by a sliding tackle from Pennant. Hernandez grabbed the ball and calmly fired past Sorensen to put his side ahead.
Stale, mate | Crouch and Ferdinand battle for the ball in a game of few chances
With the second half beginning as the first had ended, United continued to control the game and eight minutes into the half they were awarded their second penalty of the game. Jon Walters and Antonio Valencia tangled in the penalty area and when the Ecuadorian fell to the floor referee Mike Jones pointed to the spot. Berbatov calmly stepped up and fired it past the dive of Sorensen.
United continued to dominate but once again chances were few and far between, in fact, the best chance fell to Stoke and substitute Cameron Jerome just after the hour. The striker, who had replaced Crouch, leapt well above Johnny Evans but his effort was easily saved by Amos.
The home side cruised their way through the final half-hour of the match but again they were unable to fashion many clear cut chances as Stoke remained defiant in defence. Scholes saw a late chance well blocked by Robert Huth and Patrice Evra felt he should have had another penalty but his claims were waved away by the referee.
| Sign up with 188BET for a FREE bet up to £25 – Great Prices, Every Game |
|
| Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £50 in free bets! |
|
| Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 |
|
| Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
|
| Sign up with Paddy Power for a free bet up to £50 |
|
Goal
Own Goal
Penalty
Penalty Missed
Yellow Card
Assist
Penalty Save
Penalty Shootout Goal
Penalty Shootout Miss
Yellow Card / Red Card
Red Card
Substitution IN
Substitution OUT
Injury
Goal.com Rating
Goal.com Man of the Match
Goal.com Flop of the Match
Top & Flop Global Ranking- Fans' Man of the Match
Fans' Flop of the Match
Results
Times In GMT
Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Robin van Persie
Striker Arsenal |
30 | 2 |
|
Wayne Rooney
Striker Man Utd. |
27 | 6 |
|
Kun Agüero
Striker Manchester City |
23 | 3 |
|
Aiyegbeni Yakubu
Striker Blackburn Rovers |
17 | 4 |
|
Emmanuel Adebayor
Striker Tottenham |
17 | 3 |
