Five talking points from Manchester United's 3-2 win over Stoke City

United’s attacking trio save Moyes’s blushes

RvP came up with the first goal

With some of their languid attacking play, Manchester United looked like they weren’t going to score past the resolute Stoke defense and some of Moyes’s tactics seemed puzzling to say the least. Early in the game, it looked as though the best United could do was hit them from long range and hope one of them go in. And with Nani having one of his off days and Kagawa on the left wing, United lacked width.

It was only after the introduction of Januzaj that things livened up. The young Belgian was ready to take on anyone and provided Moyes’s men with the impetus, to go forward and get the win. After Van Persie scored expertly after Rooney header was parried away by Begovic, it looked like United were back on track. But it took the arrival of Chicharito in the 67^th minute for Rooney to move into central midfield alongside Carrick and get out of Kagawa’s way for United to create a proper opening. When the goals finally did arrive, it was Rooney who flicked in from a Van Persie corner to equalize and the stage was set for super sub Chicharito, to go on and claim the winner, just two minutes later. In the process, saving Moyes’s blushes as a sense of relief crept over Old Trafford.