Stoke 1 - 1 Man UtdWayne Rooney breaks Manchester United scoring record with equaliser against Stoke City
Home team scorersJuan Mata 19 o.g.
Away team scorersWayne Rooney 90 +3:34
Wayne Rooney could hardly have chosen a better time to surpass Sir Bobby Charlton’s all-time scoring record for Manchester United. Ninety minutes had elapsed and his team were on the verge of a defeat that would have ended their 16-game unbeaten run and hampered their attempt to climb into the top four, let alone mount an unlikely title challenge, when Rooney stepped up to take a free-kick in what seemed a dangerous crossing position. Instead Rooney went for goal and curled a wicked shot past the wall and into the far corner. It was a historic moment for the striker, and a mighty relief for his team.
It was also cruel on Stoke who had defended tenaciously and as well as benefiting from shoddy finishing by United, who were failing to respond to the stimulus provided before kick-off by Liverpool’s surprising home defeat to Swansea. Instead Stoke had seized the lead thanks to an own goal scored by Juan Mata and provoked by Erik Pieters, and then defended it valiantly.
The hosts had presented their new striker, Saido Berahino, before kick-off but looked on course to win without him.
José Mourinho made four changes to the side that started the draw against Liverpool in their last match but he got the configuration of his team wrong. If Stoke’s defence have a clear vulnerability it is to speed, with the left-back Pieters especially uncomfortable when faced with rapid attackers, but Mourinho left Marcus Rashford on the bench while Anthony Martial was not in the squad.
Instead Mourinho played Mata wide on the right and, with Marouane Fellaini in central midfield, the United line-up was one that prioritised solidity over derring-do and, as such, was probably close to the one that Stoke would have selected if given the choice.
The home side were quite comfortable in the opening exchanges.
United were not. In an intoxicatingly bilious atmosphere, rendered even more hostile by the home fans’ belief that Stoke were on the wrong end of inconsistency from the referee, Mark Clattenburg, United seemed cowed. They were stodgy and blunt. Glenn Whelan and Charlie Adam are amongst the least mobile central midfielders in the Premier League but were enjoying parity, at least, with Paul Pogba, Ander Herrera and Fellaini.
Even Ryan Shawcross was unexpectedly comfortable at first. The sight of Zlatan Ibrahimovic risked provoking flashbacks for the centre-back whose England career was effectively aborted by the Swede’s tormenting of him during a memorable friendly against Sweden in 2012 – but United were so short of creativity in the early stages here that Shawcross could ease himself into the game. His first worry was caused by his own goalkeeper, Lee Grant, who collided with him when catching a cross and then spilled the ball.
Shawcross was well enough positioned to block Ibrahimovic’s ensuing shot.
Neither side mustered a more substantial attack before Stoke took the lead in the 19th minute. Marko Arnautovic found Joe Allen with a clever chest pass and then spun and dashed down the left to receive the return before pulling the ball back to Pieters, who had made a burst into the box. The Dutchman collected the pass and then fired a low cross towards the six-yard box.
Mata tried to block it but instead diverted past David De Gea at the near post.
Now United had to wake up. Antonio Valencia livened up immediately and broke down the right before floating a nice cross over Shawcross’s head to Ibrahimovic at the back post. But the Swede’s chest control was fractionally awry, allowing Shawcross to recover and whack the ball to safety. United were soon to squander far better chances.
Pogba, invisible in the first 20 minutes, materialised and helped the chastened visitors gradually take control of midfield, though they still lacked menace out wide. Fellaini got a weak header to a cross from Mata in the 28th minute, although it at least forced Grant to make a save.
The goalkeeper had no chance of getting his hands to a shot by Mata three minutes later after running off his line to confront Ibrahimovic. But, as it turned out, that did not matter because after the Swede teed Mata up for a tap-in from eight yards, Mata lifted the ball over the unguarded goal. It was some goof, but a neat way to sum up a painful off-day for the Spaniard.
He was not the only United player with his sights misaligned. Henrikh Mkhitaryan skied one shot so far over the bar, after more good play by Valencia, that Stoke fans belted out a merry rendition of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. Just before half-time their mocking tune changed to one of acclaim for Grant, who made a sharp reflex save to turn away a sweet volley by Pogba.
Mourinho did not make any substitution until the 56th minute, finally replacing Fellaini with Rashford. But Stoke’s resistance had hardened by then, the home team defending valiantly in the face of relentless pressure.
Bruno Martins Indi was excellent, as was Shawcross, evidently relishing the opportunity to show he can handle Ibrahimovic.
Xherdan Shaqiri even threatened to increase Stoke’s lead on the counterattack, although it would have taken an exceptional shot to beat De Gea from 25 yards. Shaqiri’s attempt was stopped without trouble by the goalkeeper.
Not until 15 minutes from time did United really prise Stoke’s defence open again. Rooney, who was introduced in place of Mata just after the hour mark, picked out Rashford with a cross from right. The youngster, having pulled clear on the edge of the area, attempted to guide a shot into the top corner but curled it just wide.
Finally, deep into stoppage time, Rooney salvaged a point and set a formidable new standard for United goalscorers.
Guardian
