MAN UNITED 1, STOKE CITY 1
Manchester United endured a hugely frustrating afternoon as they were held at home by bottom-club Stoke City.
Apart from a failure to convert more of the chances they created – they had 24 goal attempts – there was little wrong with the performance.
United played some delightful football and created a stack of chances, but lacked that ruthless cutting edge.
And at the end of the day, it turned out to be a tale of two keepers.
Stoke’s Lee Grant, on loan from Derby County, played one of the best games of his career to deny the Reds time and time again to be their man of the match.
That was in contrast to the under-employed David De Gea who was at fault for Stoke’s late leveller after failing to hold on to a Glenn Johnson shot.
Joe Allen eventually scored to cancel out the goal from substitute Anthony Martial that gave United the lead.
United manager Jose Mourinho echoed the frustration, but could not fault the display from his side.
He said: “I am very happy with the performance but the result should have been 5-0 or 6-0.
“When it is 1-1 the happiness disappears and frustration with the result comes.”
Mourinho described it as the best performance of the season in terms of the football played, chances created and consistency over the 90 minutes.
He explained: “We started with a big chance in the first minute and ended with one. In between we had three, four,five more and were in control.
“Then by magic they (Stoke) crossed the midfield line and scored which was frustrating.”
Mourinho added it was a better performance than against Leicester one week earlier when hey won 4-1.
He said: “Against Leicester the result was bigger than the performance.
“This was the best performance from the first minute when we create a chance and we played some beautiful football.”
Mourinho added he never criticises players for missing chances, only for their attitude and performance and naivety in making mistakes.
Stoke, who have not won at Old Trafford since 1976, picked up a point for only the second time in 17 league visits, a measure of their achievement.
“A draw was the least we deserved. We were organised, had a good shape and intensity and showed we are a good club at this level,” explained manager Mark Hughes.
United, unsurprisingly, went with the side that kicked off against Leicester City after that resounding 4-1 victory.
That meant no place in the starting line up for club captain Wayne Rooney.
United, whose players wore black arm bands in memory of legendary striker David Herd who has died at the age of 82, so nearly made a dream start when Zlatan Ibrahimovic was released by Paul Pogba’s excellent pass only for on-loan keeper Lee Grant to make a briliant double save.
The Swede looked set to score, but Grant pulled off a fabulous save low to his right and then deflected the follow-up into the side netting.
Stoke played with a spirit that belied their bottom-of-the-table status and they could have gone ahead after 14 minutes when Allen broke and cut the ball back to Geoff Cameron whose shot was well saved low down by De Gea.
United had another great chance to take the lead after a sweeping move ended when Pogba shot narrowly wide.
Grant then athletically tipped over a chip from Juan Mata and from the resulting corner Pogba headed narrowly wide as United had 76-per-cent possession in the opening quarter of the game, an indication as to their dominance.
A piece of magic from Ibrahimovic set up Jesse Lingard, but on-loan Derby keeper Grant again came to the Potters’ rescue with another important save.
Stoke almost snatched the lead immediately after the restart when Shaqiri’s free kick was met by Bruno Martins Indi whose looping header was brilliantly turned over the bar by De Gea.
United were opened up again, but this time Allen could only shoot weakly at De Gea when it looked as though he was certain to score.
Herrera went close with a long-range drive, but United were badly in need of a lift and mid-table Mourinho made a double switch as Mata and Lingard were replaced by Rooney and Martial.
And the substitutes combined within three minutes to make the breakthrough.
Martial made a break down the left and played the ball inside to Rooney who laid it back to the Frenchman who, from the left of the box, curled a delightful shot high into the far top corner of the net.
It was his first goal of the season and ended a run of 11 games without finding the net.
Ibrahimovic then forced another good save from Grant, this time blocking an angled shot from the left of the penalty area.
But out of nothing, Stoke drew level with eight minutes left.
De Gea failed to hold a shot from Glen Johnson,substitute Jonathan Walters’ follow-up shot was deflected on to the bar and Allen slotted home the loose ball.
Memphis Depay immediately replaced Herrera as United set about regaining the lead.
And they had two glorious chances to take all three points when Ibrahimovic was denied by a super save from Grant low to his left and Pogba headed against the bar from a Rashford cross.
It was, however, one of those days when it was destined not to be for the Reds.