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Can they do it on a cold windy night at Stoke? Clearly they couldn’t. An extraordinary Charlie Adam goal piles further misery on David Moyes’ team, Stoke came into the game with just one point from their last six games and Manchester United started with an attack minded setup with Wayne Rooney, Robin Van Persie and Juan Mata all in the lineup, one just couldn’t have expected this outcome for United.
United’s injury crisis kept getting worse as United lost Center-Back Evans in the opening 10 minutes of the game, which looked like a hamstring injury was replaced by Rafael. Charlie Adam gave Stoke a fortunate lead from an unfortunate deflection from Carrick leaving De Gea helpless. United who had mostly dominated the first half of the match found themselves a goal behind at the cold windy Britannia Stadium at half time.
In the opening minutes of the second half, A cheeky Mata assist lead to a calm Van Persie goal, although after a nasty clash of heads with Jonathan Walters, Phil Jones fell awkwardly and had to be stretched off and was eventually rushed to the hospital. Lack of defensive options after losing Evans and Jones forced Michael Carrick to play in the heart of United defense. And United level score line was short-lived after Charlie Adam smashed a 25 yard shot into the top corner well beyond David De Gea and put the visitors trailing again.
United kept pressing in with their variety of attacking options but, Stoke had the better chances with Arnautovic coming close to adding another goal just after the hour mark and substitute Oussama Assaidi volleying over the bar.
In the dying minutes of the match, Stoke goal keeper Asmir Begovic produced an excellent save from a late injury time Wayne Rooney free kick, leaving United with no redemption and gave the Stoke fans their first league win against United since Boxing Day 1984.
Furthermore Tonight’s defeat was United’s 8th this season and the Red Devils now sit 7th in the Premiere League table, giving their rivals another chance to cushion points between them and fading United’s chances of securing the top four spot.
Moyes’ side who were supposed have a comfortable win with their star trio starting the game, find themselves in an alarming position after this unlucky defeat. Clearly United are in need of massive chance of style with most convinced it’s time to move on from the traditional 4-4-2, United need to find an inspiration from somewhere. The Red Devils face Fulham next week, on Sunday 9th of February.
