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Michael Carrick scores for Manchester United. Dave Thompson/PA Wire/Press Association Images

As it happened: Stoke v Manchester United, Premier League

Alex Ferguson’s side visited the Britannia this afternoon.

THE PREMIER LEAGUE leaders visit the Britannia Stadium this afternoon.

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the game. E-mail ben@thescore.ie, tweet @thescore_iepost a message to our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.

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Stoke 0-2 Manchester United

Good afternoon. We’re about to get started at the Britannia so here are the teams;

Stoke: Begovic, Cameron, Shawcross, Huth, Wilkinson, Shotton, Whelan, Nzonzi, Adam, Walters, Jones. Subs: Sorensen, Palacios, Owen, Whitehead, Kightly, Crouch, Jerome.

Manchester United: De Gea, Jones, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Rooney, Kagawa, Hernandez, van Persie. Subs: Lindegaard, Evans, Giggs, Smalling, Welbeck, Cleverley, Buttner.

And we’re up and running. United wearing their change blue strip, Stoke in red and white stripes.

GOAL! Stoke 0-1 Manchester United (Michael Carrick)

With just 4 minutes on the clock, the Potters concede from a corner. The ball is whipped in and when it’s not dealt with, Michael Carrick pokes the ball past Asmir Begovic.

Ireland’s Jon Walters, playing wide left for Stoke today, has had a shot at goal but it’s well wide and doesn’t trouble David De Gea in the United goal.

Carrick and Rooney exchange passes in the middle of the park and the England striker decides to have a pop from distance but Begovic punches clear.

Charlie Adam goes down in the United box but play is waved on and Robin van Persie gets the shot off down the other end moments later. Begovic saves once again.

There’s a stoppage in play with Stoke defender Andy Wilkinson getting his head patched up after being on the receiving end of a boot from Javier Hernandez.

Antonio Valencia concedes a free but the delivery from Adam isn’t a good one and United clear the ball.

With a couple of minutes to half-time, the visitors have a free-kick thanks to a break from Shinji Kagawa. Rooney takes but his shot curls over the wall and off target.

Stoke have their first corner of the day and De Gea punches away from Adam before the Scot wins another corner. The second delivery is played to the front post for Ryan Shawcross but the centre-half can’t direct his flick towards the goal.

Half-time: Stoke 0-1 Manchester United

The second half is off and running. No changes on either side.

Robin van Persie, who has been quiet this afternoon, collects a great pass from Hernandez but can only find the sidenetting his his strike when you’d expect him to hit the target.

A rare chance falls the way of Walters, who can’t capitalise and blazes over. Ryan Shotton heads down a cross to his team-mate and Walters blasts high and wide.

Adams is next with an effort at De Gea’s goal. The former Liverpool midfielder shoots from distance and the United stopper collects comfortably.

Carrick gets caught in possession and Kenwyne Jones, seeing a couple of yards open up in front of him, opts to shoot instead of picking out a fellow Stoke player. The attempt doesn’t find the target.

Meanwhile, Valencia has just picked up the first yellow of the afternoon.

PENALTY TO MANCHESTER UNITED…

GOAL! Stoke 0-2 Manchester United (Robin van Persie)

After Wilkinson brings the Dutchman down, he breaks his goalscoring drought by firing past Begovic.

Stoke respond immediately through Shotton but De Gea is down quickly.

There are shouts for a penalty when  Jones trips over Vidic, who has lost his footing, but play is waved on.

Tony Pulis has also just replaced Cameron with Jerome.

RVP gave Alex Ferguson an almighty hug after scoring…

Former United player Michael Owen has entered the fray while Danny Welbeck comes on for the visitors.

De Gea has to be at his best to bat away a Charlie Adam free-kick which takes a tricky bounce just a yard or two in front of the United keeper.

That Van Persie goal… and over-elaborate celebration:

YouTube credit: TheEnglandLeague1

Stoke have just brought on Peter Crouch for Kenwyne Jones.

Full-time: Stoke 0-2 Manchester United

So United record a fairly routine win against the Potters to open up a 15-point gap between themselves and Manchester City, who have just kicked off against Chelsea in the second FA Cup semi-final.

You can follow the action at our Score Center here.

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26 Comments
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    Mute Darragh Morrissey
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    Dec 31st 2017, 1:45 AM

    Delightful game to watch, no chance of Taylor missing so many doubles in the final as MVG did tonight. But if Cross keeps up his power scoring 103 odd average he will be very hard bet

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    Mute Let free speech live
    Favourite Let free speech live
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    Dec 31st 2017, 5:51 AM

    @Darragh Morrissey: Sure just go to the bookies and bet away, it’s not hard to bet at all.

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    Mute Hank_Scorpio
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    Dec 31st 2017, 8:01 AM

    @Darragh Morrissey: Was a good match to watch. I was only hoping for MVG would progress as he should be able to beat Taylor. Now, I’m fearful he will win but here’s hoping I’m wrong.

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    Mute Steve Austin
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    Dec 31st 2017, 1:49 AM

    It was a cracker. The crowed were disgraceful at times though.

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    Mute davidMbyrne.com
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    Dec 31st 2017, 1:27 AM

    ‘Unheralded’. This is no surprise. The guy has been shti hot all year. Nice of you to comment on him now.

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    Mute Tom Allen
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    Dec 31st 2017, 1:40 AM

    @davidMbyrne.com: Well said. The 42 could do with someone with a bit of darts knowledge such as yourself. Just one catch. You need to be from Dublin, preferably southside to be employed by us.

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    Mute grandslamkbo
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    Dec 31st 2017, 2:57 AM

    @Tom Allen: Listening to their Lions coverage, most of the guys doing the videos with Murray Kinsella had country accents on them. But good for you finding something that doesn’t exist to be upset about. Well done.

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    Mute blueman79
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    Dec 31st 2017, 2:13 AM

    Thought this was a sports website… Darts is a game, like monopoly

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    Mute Patrick Dara Kelly
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    Dec 31st 2017, 7:28 AM

    @blueman79: if you don’t like darts like many people don’t go into the article and make a silly comment

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    Mute Dan Finlay
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    Dec 31st 2017, 2:59 AM

    Crowd were despicable, really poor booing ‘the foreigner’. Lewis was being booed in the first semi final but at least the announcer addresses the crowd and asked them to stop. Anyway back to the match, MVG hasn’t deserved to progress to a final with his play. Can’t see Cross winning it, the fairytale would have been Taylor v MVG or Barney. I’ll be rooting for Cross but I wonder who the crowd will make it easier for; ah but they’re both English so they should be at the very least respectful. Uh hmmmm!!:

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    Mute Stephen Coveney
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    Dec 31st 2017, 10:30 AM

    @Dan Finlay: spot on. I know van gerwen can come across as arrogant but so can Taylor. I ws trying to find another explanation than “not being english” but couldn’t. The crowd has been the worst ive remembered ever. The justin pipe thing too, no proof he actually made a sound.

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