ALLEN’S GOAL COSTS UNITED TWO POINTS

An uncommon mistake from Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea gave Stoke City a chance to snatch a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday.

Eight minutes from time, the Wales international midfielder Joe Allen, who was earlier on the receiving end of a dreadful high tackle from Ander Herrera, scored due to De Gea’s blunder.


Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Jessse Lingard were denied by Grant during a first half when United played with absolute domination than in Thursday’s 1-0 narrow escape in Europa League victory over Zorya. Captain Wayne Rooney came into the match as a second-half substitute once again.

Paul Pogba was guilty of missed opportunities in a game where United were regularly in the ascendancy and he was unable to add to compatriot Anthony Martial’s 67th minute opener in the final minute when he thudded a Marcus Rashford cross against the bar.

The Red Devils lie sixth in the Premier League, five points behind Manchester City ahead of the leaders’ clash with second-place Tottenham later on Sunday. Grant displayed incredibly skill in the second minute after Pogba danced past Xherdan Shaqiri to cutely play in Ibrahimovic.

The France international, Paul Pogba was supposed to have netted in the 16th minute after an Ibrahimovic back heel and a pass from Rashford gave him space in the Stoke box, but he steered the ball far away.

United’s dominance of possession yielded further chances around the half hour, as Grant produced his best work so far to thwart Lingard at close quarters. Ibrahimovic got on the end of Lingard’s cross and found Stoke captain Ryan Shawcross in his way with a vital block.

Shaqiri was careless on the ball and, as United drove forward, Martial found possession on the left and collected the loose ball when Cameron challenged Rooney to delightfully pick out the top corner. De Gea fumbled Glen Johnson’s speculative strike, while sub Jon Walters scrambled against the bar and Allen thumped into the open net. The goal triggered boisterous jubilations from the under-fire Hughes, whose side climbed off the bottom after Pogba’s miss.