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
πstands,
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