Stoke City vs Manchester United: 5 Talking Points

On a windy Boxing Day afternoon, Stoke took on Manchester United at home and handed the record champions a crushing defeat. The Potters were dominating right from the start and took the lead courtesy of a Memphis Depay error. Glen Johnson seized the opportunity and provided the assist as Bojan slotted in the opening goal.Six minutes later, Marko Arnautovic scored an absolute blinder to double Stoke’s lead. Things never really improved for United as Louis Van Gaal’s side slumped to a third consecutive Premier League defeat.The introduction of Wayne Rooney brought about a few favorable changes for the Red Devils but nothing really materialized.

#1 Alls not well among the Stoke players

Jack Butland wasn’t in sync with his defenders

Stoke have been doing well over the past few weeks. In spite of that, not everything seems to be right among the Stoke players.

Early on in the fourth minute of the game, ex Barcelona player Bojan Krkic took a shot from distance which went way over De Gea’s goal. It was the wrong option and Bojan got a mouthful from Xherdan Shaqiri, who was in a better position.

Players are often seen being frustrated with their teammates but Shaqiri seemed a bit too perturbed with the decision. Bojan and Shaqiri were seen exchanging words and for a Stoke fan, that is by no means a pretty sight.

A few minutes later, Butland and Wollschied were seen taking a go at each other. Butland came forward to collect a ball and clashed with his defender. He appeared a bit conciliatory but that was not the case for Wollschied.

The results have been perfect for Stoke but manager Mark Hughes must resolve these minor issues and the reactions of his players.

#2 The Young-Varela dilemma

Young struggled against Peiters

Ashley Young started as the right back with Italian Matteo Darmian out injured. The ex English international has often played in this position but was nowhere near his best today.

The likes of Pieters and Arnautovic made merry down the left. They tormented him on a number of occasions. A majority of the attacks early on came down Stoke’s left wing. Ashley Young was also to blame for the second goal United conceded. He needlessly raised his hand and gave away a freekick in a crucial area. Stoke utilized the opportunity as Arnautovic scored a brilliant goal.

Young was good with his crossing but his defending was pretty ordinary. In his place, the young Guilermo Varela could have been a better choice. Varela made his debut for the Red Devils a few weeks back and put in a decent performance.

The youngster Varela has a lot to prove and playing him in such an important clash could well have beneficial for the team.

#3 Rooney or no Rooney, problems persist for United

Louis van Gaal dropped Wayne Rooney, but it made no difference

Going into this game, the big news for United was the absence of captain Wayne Rooney in the starting eleven. He made way for Ander Herrera but the desired result was lacking.

United looked lost in the first half. There were no threatening balls upfront and no defence splitting passes. The attackers hardly linked up and could not string together more than two to three passes. Even after conceding the second goal, there seemed to be a lack of urgency.

Wayne Rooney’s entry into the game brought about some urgency in the United attack but the results just weren’t there. He provided a brilliant pass to Fellaini but the Belgian failed to capitalize.

For Louis Van Gaal, Wayne Rooney has been a problem. There have been regular calls for Rooney to be dropped from the starting eleven. His form over the past few weeks has been below par(one goal in nine games) and unfortunately, the Dutchman hasn’t been able to turn things around for him.

#4 Arnautovic could have had a hattrick

Arnautovic was a thorn in United’s side

Marko Arnautovic had a game of contrasting fortunes. He scored a beauty early on but made some poor mistakes in the later stages of the game.

Arnautovic has been in fine form this season and almost all of his goals have led to wins for Stoke City. Even though Stoke ran away with the three points and Marko had his goal, he will have enough reason to be disappointed. He could have easily had a hattrick.

Aftering scoring Stoke’s second of the game, the Austrian missed a great chance. He ran clear of the United defence and only had the goalkeeper to beat but could not get the job done. In the second half, Butland provided a quality ball for the winger but he fluffed his lines again. With only one defender and the goalkeeper to beat, Arnautovic slipped and thankfully due to the scoreline, was able to manage a smile.

A hattrick against United could have been a milestone in the career of this ex Werder Bremen star.

#5 What lies ahead for Van Gaal?

Stormy winds lie in wait for the United boss

One cannot but feel sorry for Louis Van Gaal. His players have underperformed on quite a number of occasions and the injuries have further added to his woes. There have been instances in games where players have only themselves to blame; a case in point being Depay conceding the first goal against Stoke.

Van Gaal was under tremendous pressure before the match and that has only escalated after their recent defeat. If reports are to be believed, Van Gaal had been given three games to turn things around and the first of that game has ended on a losing note for United.

Many have called for Van Gaal’s head and there is a possibility of that happening soon. With one of the most successful managers of the era waiting in the wings, the future looks bleak for Van Gaal as Manchester United manager.