Manchester United closed the gap between themselves and Premier League
leaders Manchester City to 12 points with a
-
wiin over struggling Stoke City at Old Trafford.
Manchester City were beaten in the top flight for the first time this season
on Sunday,
⃣
at Liverpool, and United's victory, along with reports they are set to sign
Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez at the expense of their neighbours, means there
is a fleeting instance this term of the bragging rights residing on the red
side of town.
Stoke, with newly appointed manager Paul Lambert watching from the
🏟stands,
acquitted themselves well and carved out some clear first-half chances, only
for Antonio Valencia and Anthony Martial to breach the Premier League's most
porous defense with fabulous first-half finishes, while Paul Pogba was
influential in the hosts' midfield.
Martial and Juan Mata passed up chances to
compound the Potters' misery after the break, meaning Romelu Lukaku's
72nd-minute
⏱
third goal felt wholly inevitable, as thoughts began to turn towards the
Belgian's prospective new strike partner