Manchester United handed key player boost ahead of Stoke clash

Defeat would have left United sixth, some eight points adrift of the top four, so Van Gaal was understandably pleased to see his team record a comprehensive win over the side that beat them so easily in the opposite fixture just five weeks ago.

Stoke City forward Peter Odemwingie says Manchester United have lost the quality they used to possess as the club go through a rebuilding phase.

Guardiola’s impending arrival in the close-season as the replacement for Manuel Pellegrini is created to make City the dominant force not only in Manchester but also in Europe.

“It is important that the fans continue to support the players against Stoke as the players have the most hard task – they have to get a result at that hour, against Stoke’s resistance and there are no excuses”. Their poor record at home has seen them win just one of their last five league games so this bet does not appeal in the slightest.

Their total of 27 goals in total at this stage of the season was their lowest since 1989-90 when they finished 13th in the top flight and Mark Hughes finished as top scorer with 15 goals.

Red Devils boss Louis van Gaal sprung a deadline day surprise back in September 2014 with the signing of striker Radamel Falcao, though the Dutchman will be hopeful any potential late arrivals at Old Trafford will not follow in the Colombian’s footsteps.

There have been more than a few famous wins – and he was bidding for Stoke’s first league double over United since 1952/53 … although it didn’t do them much good that season, they went down.

It was all too easy for the home side when Jesse Lingard got the wrong side of Ibrahim Afellay to head home the first. “In the second half we controlled the game and did not give any chances to Stoke”.

Daley Blind split the Stoke midfield with an excellent ball for Mata, who fed it through to Martial on the left, with the former Monaco man then squaring for Rooney to tap in his 99th Premier League goal at OId Trafford. He laid the ball off for Rooney, who found Martial at the back post and he curled a sumptuous shot into the far corner.

According to Opta Stats, Manchester United have beaten Stoke 11 times in the league and have scored 32 goals in the process.

The United and England captain had an effort disallowed as he barged over Phil Bardsley in the build-up. It was a very good game.