Zlatan Ibrahimovic needs to be more clinical

For someone who scored 50 goals in the last calendar year and is leading the Premier League goalscoring charts, Ibrahimovic sure wastes a number of chances. He was guilty of it on several occasions against Burnley earlier in the season and it was a similar story away to Stoke. Most notably was just after the hosts scored and the Swede peeled away at the back post, only to allow the ball to escape him after a poor chest down. He was put through again by Henrikh Mkhitaryan towards the end of the first half but he chose to square the ball when the goal was for the taking.

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Michael Carrick is United’s key man

When a team contains a goalscoring phenomenon and an £89m player, it is easy to not notice Carrick’s impact but his absence was felt at the Britannia, with Paul Pogba having to do more of the donkey work. United missed his fluid, metronomic passing and Carrick’s absence left the centre of the park a scrappier place. Jose Mourinho’s real challenge in the transfer market will not be signing Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann, but replacing Carrick.

Stoke vs Manchester United player ratings Show all 22 1 /22 Stoke vs Manchester United player ratings Stoke vs Manchester United player ratings Lee Grant – 7 out of 10 Made a couple of smart stops but never did anything more than expected of him. Getty Images Stoke vs Manchester United player ratings Glen Johnson – 6 out of 10 Was allowed to take advantage of United’s narrow midfield but kept busy defensively. Getty Images Stoke vs Manchester United player ratings Ryan Shawcross – 7 out of 10 Did well to combat the combined muscle of Ibrahimovic and Fellaini in the aerial battles. Getty Images Stoke vs Manchester United player ratings Bruno Martins Indi – 6 out of 10 Was strong defensively, even if he was caught out of position at times. Man Utd via Getty Images Stoke vs Manchester United player ratings Erik Pieters – 7 out of 10 Marauded forward well and got his reward when his cross was turned in by Mata. Getty Images Stoke vs Manchester United player ratings Charlie Adam – 6 out of 10 Made his presence in the centre of midfield felt as he harried United’s stars. Getty Images Stoke vs Manchester United player ratings Glenn Whelan – 6 out of 10 Watched Pogba well throughout and made sure his impact on the game was limited to the deeper positions. Man Utd via Getty Images Stoke vs Manchester United player ratings Marko Arnautovic – 6 out of 10 Cynical yellow card for pulling down Herrera on the break and was not too influential in an attacking sense. Man Utd via Getty Images Stoke vs Manchester United player ratings Xherdan Shaqiri – 5 out of 10 Had a decent effort from a cut inside shot, but should have fed Crouch better when Stoke had a two on two in the first half. Getty Images Stoke vs Manchester United player ratings Joe Allen – 6 out of 10 Neat touches and effortless passing as his glided around the field but nothing much more meaningful than that. Getty Images Stoke vs Manchester United player ratings Peter Crouch – 5 out of 10 Was a nuisance for Jones and Smalling and always a danger in the air. Man Utd via Getty Images Stoke vs Manchester United player ratings David De Gea – 6 out of 10 Nothing he could do about the goal and had little to do other than that. Getty Images Stoke vs Manchester United player ratings Antonio Valencia – 6 out of 10 Was called the best right-back in the world by his manager but other than his usual overlaps, did little to reinforce that view. Getty Images Stoke vs Manchester United player ratings Phil Jones – 6 out of 10 Looking more and more like the player Sir Alex Ferguson once predicted he would be and won some crucial tackles and interceptions. Getty Images Stoke vs Manchester United player ratings Chris Smalling – 6 out of 10 Preferred to Rojo in defence and took the armband but had his work cut out with Crouch. Man Utd via Getty Images Stoke vs Manchester United player ratings Daley Blind – 5 out of 10 Had plenty of space to get forward but lacked the pace to turn it into any sort of danger for United. Getty Images Stoke vs Manchester United player ratings Ander Herrera – 7 out of 10 His usual high-octane performance and fast becoming one of the first names on the teamsheet. Getty Images Stoke vs Manchester United player ratings Paul Pogba – 5 out of 10 Saw his effectiveness reduced as his was played in a deeper role and saw his snap-volley punched away well by Grant. Getty Images Stoke vs Manchester United player ratings Marouane Fellaini – 6 out of 10 Had plenty of chances in the air and brought a couple of decent saves from Grant. Man Utd via Getty Images Stoke vs Manchester United player ratings Juan Mata – 6 out of 10 Mata did his usual stuff but got the unfortunate final touch to divert the ball past De Gea and then missed a golden opportunity to equalise at the other end, skying his shot over from two yards. Man Utd via Getty Images Stoke vs Manchester United player ratings Henrikh Mkhitaryan – 6 out of 10 Missed a golden chance to equalise when he launched his shot into row Z in the first half, but created a great effort for Ibrahimovic before that. Getty Images Stoke vs Manchester United player ratings Zlatan Ibrahimovic – 5 out of 10 Had a number of chances to score but twice tried to pass when a shot looked the better option. Man Utd via Getty Images

Joe Allen may not be a Stoke player for much longer

Allen never found himself at Liverpool and was finally let go in the summer, despite a supreme Euro 2016 showing – which earned him a spot in the team of tournament. He has been Stoke’s best player all season and the ease he glided around the field with short and neat passing against United showed why. He did not have his best game in a Stoke shirt but he ironically would look at home in Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side.

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Marouane Fellaini is most effective as a substitute

Mourinho was right in his pre-match press conference – Fellaini has turned his United career around in recent weeks, since being booed off against Everton. However, playing in the No 10 position from the start is not one which suits United’s style of play. It also meant that Juan Mata and Mkhitaryan were forced to drift inside to create chances, leaving United terribly narrow. He did not play poorly by any stretch, but his presence in the team seems to inhibit the ability of others to excel to their full potential. Still a fantastic option from the bench however.

Ander Herrera – not Paul Pogba – is captain material

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Mourinho spoke a few weeks ago how Pogba had all the credentials to be a future United captain, but Herrera has looked more like he could carry the armband this season. The Spaniard has the fire to get the fans out of their seats and is not afraid to get in the faces of his opponents. He can be slightly rash at times but his energy and commitment is something all his teammates should aspire to. He wants to spend the rest of his career at Old Trafford and United would be lucky to have him.

Wayne Rooney achieves legendary status in a legendary way

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