Stoke pay Old Trafford penalties
MAN UNITED 2 vs STOKE CITY 0
MANCHESTER UNITED pulled ominously alongside their local rivals Manchester City at the head of the Premier League table after goals from Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov downed Stoke.
Injuries to first-choice goalkeepers David de Gea and Anders Lindegaard resulted in a Premier League debut for Ben Amos, but the 21-year-old was rarely troubled by a Stoke side who hardly threatened despite fielding three strikers from the start.
United, without Wayne Rooney, Ashley Young and Nani, all of whom United manager Sir Alex Ferguson expects to be fit for Sunday’s trip to Stamford Bridge, were far from their best either, but ground out their ninth home win of the season thanks to penalties in either half.
Mexico striker Hernandez converted the first after Jermaine Pennant had tripped Ji-Sung Park and Berbatov finished with equal conviction from 12 yards eight minutes into the second half following Jon Walters’ less obvious foul on Antonio Valencia.