MAN UNITED 3, STOKE CITY 0
Jose Mourinho spoke about the mid-season break in Dubai as a time for Manchester United to “refresh and refocus”.
And that certainly looked the case as the Reds brushed past relegation-threatened Stoke City at Old Trafford.
Goals from Antonio Valencia, Anthony Martial and Romelu Lukaku cut Manchester City’s advantage at the top of the table from 15 to 12 points.
And with Alexis Sanchez’ imminent arrival from Arsenal, United’s manager will have extra firepower to call upon as they attempt to make further inroads into City’s seemingly unassailable lead.
Mourinho was giving little away about the move for Sanchez, saying: “I am not confident but what is the opposite – unconfident – and am just relaxed.
“I have a feeling he is an Arsenal player. I have a feeling he can stay there and a feeling that if he moves we have a chance.
“But a player like him will probably have other big clubs interested. It is down to Mr (Arsene) Wenger and Mr (Ivan) Gazidis. They will know what will happen so let’s see what happens.”
Mourinho was unhappy with United’s first-half display other than the “two amazing goals”.
He said: “We were confident, organised, but a bit slow.
“We played a positive team with the three players in midfield, but they (Stoke) had more chances in the first half than I would have liked.
“In the second half we missed a lot of chances after accelerating our play and we played confident, fast and aggressively.”
United made six changes from the side that started in the Emirates FA Cup against Derby County.
There were recalls for goalkeeper David De Gea, defenders Valencia and Phil Jones and forward players Lukaku, Martial and Juan Mata.
Losing their places were Sergio Romero, Victor Lindelof, Daley Blind, Ander Herrera, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Marcus Rashford.
United had a shout for a penalty rejected in the seventh minute following a clumsy challenge by Moritz Bauer on Martial.
But it was not long before they took the lead through a screamer from Valencia, another goal-of-the-month contender.
Paul Pogba picked out the overlapping right back who cut inside and hit a terrific left-foot effort into the top corner from 16 yards, his third goal of the season.
Stoke, with new manager Paul Lambert looking on from the directors’ box. responded positively and created a host of chances in the next quarter of an hour as United failed to build on their breakthrough
A spectacular overhead kick by Xherdan Shaqiri forced a diving save from De Gea, two drives by Stephen Ireland both flew just wide and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting had a goalbound shot deflected for a corner.
United weathered the storm and doubled the lead against the run of play with another worldy, a 22-yard drive into the top corner by Martial.
It followed an excellent build up involving Valencia, Lukaku and Pogba who supplied the telling cross for his 10th goal of the season and three in three against Stoke at Old Trafford.
United were indebted to De Gea in stoppage time as he made a fine save low to his left to keep out an effort from Shaqiri.
Martial had a glorious chance to add a third goal just short of the hour. He burst through two challenges and from seven yards shot straight at keeper Jack Butland.
Mata wasted two great openings in quick as he fired narrowly wide and then blazed over.
Lukaku then had a shot saved by the legs of Butland. Lingard put in the rebound, but had strayed offside as a third goal remained elusive.
But it finally came in the 72nd minute through Lukaku. Martial delivered a pass and the Belgian shrugged off three defenders before firing home a low shot from 10 yards.
Stoke City’s ‘horrific’ goal difference gets worse
It was the 50th league goal Stoke have conceded this season, the worst defensive record in any of Europe’s top five leagues.
United almost added a fourth when Mata got a touch to a cross from the left and it struck the far upright.
Mourinho made a double change with 10 minutes left when Martial and Lingard were replaced by Marouane Fellaini and Rashford. And moments later Scott McTominay took over from Mata.
United were carving open Stoke at will and Rashford’s near post back heel from a Valencia cross forced a decent stop by Butland.
A rare lapse at the back let in Stoke substitute Mame Biram Diouf, but De Gea saved well and Diouf fired the rebound wide as United kept a clean sheet to round off a perfect night.