Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scored twice to earn the hosts a hard-fought but deserved draw in a highly entertaining match, as United returned to the top of the table.
And that’s that! A wonderfully entertaining game ends with the spoils shared. It’s a fair result, because both teams sparkled in attack, going for it pretty much from the get-go. Stoke move into the top half of the table with that point, while United reclaim top spot on goal difference over their neighbours Manchester City.
90 min +4: A bit of head tennis on the edge of the Stoke area. Pogba tries to Mark Hughes a spectacular bicycle kick home from 12 yards. It’s high and wide.
90 min +3: Diouf takes possession of the drop ball at the restart, and delivers it back to Manchester United, who were on the attack. On the touchline, Mourinho applauds the sportsmanship.
90 min +2: ... the ball’s swung deep, flicked on by Jones. With Pogba lurking, Zouma deflects the ball towards the bottom left. It’s going in, but Butland parries it with a strong hand! A fine save! Zouma clears, and then play’s stopped for a head injury to Wimmer.
90 min +1: United are pinning Stoke back. It’s the way they’ve rolled historically. Jones bustles down the right and earns a corner. In it goes, and ...
90 min: Lukaku blooters the set piece straight into the wall. That wasn’t very good. There will be three added minutes.
89 min: Matic rakes a long pass down the middle. Stoke don’t really deal with it, and the ball breaks wide right for Mata, who looks to return it inside for Lingard. But Butland smothers the cross. United come again, though, Martial switching the ball from the left to the right. Mata picks up possession, and is clumsily clattered to the ground by Allen, just to the right of the D. A free kick in a very dangerous position!
87 min: Zouma is upended by Martial as he zips down the right. Shaqiri’s free kick is a bit better this time, but not much, and Valencia clears easily enough from a tight spot out on the Stoke left.
86 min: There’s been some handbags between the managers on the touchline, incidentally, Mourinho encroaching into Hughes’s technical area, and receiving a light go-away shove in the chest as a result. Nothing particularly serious, to be honest, all part of the pantomime.
84 min: Before the corner can be taken, Lingard comes on for Mkhitaryan. Then the set piece, which leads to Darmian converting in the rugby style.
83 min: Shaqiri curls a dreadful effort into the arms of De Gea. United scoot up the other end, Mata crossing dangerously from the left. Allen, tracking back, is forced to head behind at the expense of a corner.
82 min: Pogba shoves Allen over in the playground style, as the Stoke man scuttles down the right. A free kick, and a chance to load the box.
81 min: Martial turns on the jets and makes space down the right. He curls a stunning low cross into the area. The ball sits up on a plate for Lukaku, six yards out. He must score, but leans back and shins it over the crossbar. What a chance!
79 min: United spend a little time hovering on the front edge of Stoke’s final third, but the home side hold their shape and there’s no space for the visitors to break through.
77 min: Berahino, Zouma and Shaqiri take turns to annoy Bailly on the edge of the United area. Bailly has the opportunity to clear, but doesn’t, and eventually concedes a corner. Shaqiri takes, and attempts to catch De Gea out with a cheeky curler towards his near post. For a second it looks like flying in, but ripples the side netting instead.
76 min: Pogba makes a little space for himself 30 yards out with a cute drop of the shoulder, before sending a pea-roller straight at Butland.
75 min: Jese is replaced by Saido Berahino.
74 min: Mata’s first act is to drop deep on the right and look for his fellow sub Martial with a curling cross into the area. There’s too much weight on the ball and Butland claims with ease.
72 min: A double change by Manchester United. Juan Mata and Anthony Martial come on for Marcus Rashford and Ander Herrera.
70 min: Choupo-Moting is brimful of confidence. He shimmies in from the left and has a whack from 25 yards. The effort flies well wide left. United counter through Lukaku, who attempts to find Rashford in the middle with a dinked cross from the right. Butland reads and snaffles.
68 min: Some good work by Choupo-Moting, who rides a couple of weak United tackles in the middle of the park before swinging the ball wide right for Jese. The resulting cross back into the area is overcooked, but Stoke have their tails up once more.
67 min: One corner leads to another. Butland punches the second miles clear. Valencia tries to return it with extreme prejudice, shooting low for the bottom left from 25 yards. It’s just wide. This match is great fun.
65 min: United come straight back at Stoke, Valencia, Matic and Pogba busying themselves down the right. Eventually Pogba breaks into a bit of space and smacks a shot goalwards from a tight angle. Butland does very well to turn the ball round the post for a corner.
So this starts with a wonder save by David de Gea! Pieters hooks a cross in from the left. Jese meets it, flashing a shot from the corner of the six-yard box. It has to go in, but De Gea somehow fingertips it over! What reactions! And what a futile effort, because the resulting corner, coming in from the right, is hit long, missed by Jones, and Choupo-Moting rises to slam a simple header into the top left from close range! Both teams have taken turns to give up a lead in short order!
61 min: Bailly plays a quick ball forward from deep. Mkhitaryan spins and shuttles it further down the inside-right channel, releasing Rashford on goal. But the flag goes up. The Stoke fans cheer ironically, presumably convinced Lukaku was offside for United’s second goal. But both decisions have been correct.
59 min: Jese’s over-elaboration on the Stoke counter really cost his team there. Harsh to say, because he had eaten up half of the pitch with a marvellous run upfield. But he dillied and dallied with options either side, was stripped of possession, and United showed him how to counter in the fuss-free style.
Rashford pops up on the right and earns a corner. Once again, United let Stoke stream upfield from their set piece. Jese makes good down the right. But he runs out of steam, and is stripped of the ball. United counter the counter. Mkhitaryan chips a clever pass down the middle to bust Lukaku clear. Lukaku’s first shot is parried brilliantly by Butland, but he picks up the rebound and knocks it home!
55 min: So having said that, the game suddenly turns a little scrappy. But out of a midfield nonsense, Allen bursts down the middle with the ball and slips it forward and right to Jese, who threatens to break into the box and shoot. Darmian comes across to cover brilliantly.
53 min: This is a free-flowing, open game, and both sides appear hell bent on attack. Surely there will be another goal, though good luck calling the team to score it.
51 min: Pogba shovels a pass down the inside-right channel to release Mkhitaryan into space. Mkhitaryan chests down and lashes a low shot goalwards. Butland kicks clear, and it turns out the United midfielder’s offside anyway.
49 min: Now it’s Stoke’s turn to earn a corner, Allen setting Pieters away down the left with a fine crossfield pass. Pieters crosses deep, forcing Darmian to head behind. Choupo-Moting attempts to chest the set piece down in the six-yard box, but the ball doesn’t fall for a shot and United clear.
48 min: ... another corner’s won. The second is half cleared, though Pogba is given time and chance to shoot from 25 yards. His effort goes straight down Butland’s throat.
47 min: Pogba blasts through a couple of challenges in the midfield and sets Rashford off down the inside left. The striker looks to curl one into the top right, but Zouma blocks. United come again, though winning a corner down the right. From which ...
Here we go again! Bruno Martins-Indi comes on for Geoff Cameron, who has picked up a knock. United get the ball rolling for the second half.
Shameless half-time plug. I’ve got a new book out. I know, I know, but a man needs to eat, and anyone interested in the history of English football before the Premier League circus came to town could do worse. An oblique nod to Abbott and Costello, it’s called The Title, and contents include: Stanley Matthews throwing a diva fit; Terry Venables and George Graham’s late-night casino shame; the trenchant political analysis of erstwhile Leeds full back Bert Sproston; and a qualified doctor green-flagging a pre-match booze-and-fags frenzy at the Arsenal. Enjoy!
A lively end-to-end half which promised goals, and ultimately delivered. Stoke will be fuming, having given up their lead after a couple of minutes, but the scoreline seems about right. It’s been entertaining. More to come!
Mkhitaryan loops the ball to the near post. Matic rises and flicks on. Pogba flashes a header goalwards from six yards. The ball takes a deflection off Rashford, and flies into the top right! Pogba celebrates the goal, and Rashford doesn’t claim it, but it’s surely Rashford’s goal.
45 min: United try to respond immediately, Darmian winning a corner off Diouf down the left. And from the set piece...
United win a corner, but do nothing with it, and Stoke stream upfield. After a few patient passes hither and yon, Fletcher, on the left, sprays a magnificent ball towards Diouf on the opposite flank. Diouf is in plenty of space, and he flashes a wonderful cross towards Choupo-Moting, who hammers a sidefoot home from six yards! United finally concede a Premier League goal this season, and it’s a peach!
41 min: Some fine pressing at high speed down the Stoke left by Allen and Choupo-Moting. Lukaku caught sleeping. Shakiri is eventually sent scampering down the touchline, but his ball inside is aimless and United break upfield, very nearly releasing Rashford on goal. Not quite.
39 min: Some head tennis along the front of the United area. The ball drops to the feet of Choupo-Moting, who tries to release Jese into the box with a cheeky backheel. He doesn’t connect properly, but full marks for ambition. That’s a rare sortie into opposition territory for the hosts, though. After a promising start, they’ve retreated into their shell somewhat.