Match Report:Stoke City 2-1 Manchester United

Stoke deservedly beat Manchester United on home soil with two more goals from in-form Charlie Adam doing the damage.United started slowly, Jonathan Walters almost getting on the end of a ball that cut through the middle of the United defence. Any attempt at momentum from the visitors was interrupted by an early injury to Jonny Evans, who limped off to be replaced by Rafael. There were glimpses of class from United, Wayne Rooney's half-volley fizzing past the post before an uncharacteristically weak free kick from Juan Mata, and it was slightly against the run of play when Stoke took the lead. Charlie Adam took a free kick for Stoke and, despite standing 40 yards from goal, opted to take on the shot. His effort took a wicked deflection and whizzed past the static David de Gea. Moments later, United's afternoon got even worse as Phil Jones had to be stretchered off with a head injury. Minutes after the second half started, it looked like the United comeback was on when Robin van Persie tapped the ball past Asmir Begovic after some clever build-up play from Mata, but only five minutes later Stoke were back in the lead. It was Adam again who gave Stoke the lead, fizzing the ball into the top corner from 25 yards after a cushioned header from Walters. With Stoke leading it was left to United to mount some sort of resurgence, but they left it until the final few minutes of injury time. First Ashley Young made a mess of a free header in the box after a pinpoint cross from the wing from Chris Smalling, before Rooney's free kick was tipped onto the bar by Begovic. Ultimately Stoke made the most of an off day from United, to haul themselves into mid-table mediocrity and leave the visitors today with yet another huge dent in their hopes of finishing in the top four.

Rooney set to hand in Transfer Request

Wayne Rooney is on the verge of handing in a transfer request at Manchester United.Rooney is fuming at comments made by United manager David Moyes at the weekend which suggested he was now regarded as a second-choice striking option behind Robin van Persie. Rooney has taken that as a personal slight on a player who has given nine years' service to the Old Trafford cause and is "angry and confused" about his treatment. The offending words were delivered to Sunday newspaper journalists during a briefing with Moyes in Bangkok last week. Moyes said: "Overall, my thought on Wayne is that if for any reason we had an injury to Robin van Persie we are going to need him and I want as many options as possible." It has been widely interpreted as Moyes stating he regards Rooney as an understudy to the prolific Dutchman. And understandably, that has gone down very badly. A source close to the situation has highlighted Rooney's unhappiness, saying the England striker is 'confused and angry'. As far as the 27-year-old is concerned, he is at the peak of his career and has no intention of playing second fiddle to anyone, or being reduced to the ranks of becoming a squad player. With four Premier League titles and a Champions League winners' medal to his name, Rooney does not believe he has anything to prove at United.

Real Madrid 1-1 Manchester United

Manchester United came away from the Bernabeu with a highly satisfactory Champions League draw against Real Madrid.Danny Welbeck gave United an early lead and a crucial away goal from Wayne Rooney's corner - but former United golden boy Cristiano Ronaldo responded with a classic header to draw Real level before the interval.In an enthralling encounter that lived up to Real coach Jose Mourinho's claim that it was "the match the world wanted to see", both sides created opportunities to take a crucial lead to Old Trafford for the second leg of this last-16 tie in three weeks' time.De Gea brilliantly turned Fabio Coentrao's shot on to the post early on and, as a tight and tense game entered its closing stages, Robin Van Persie saw his drive pushed on to the bar by Real keeper Diego Lopez and had another attempt scrambled off the line by Xabi Alonso seconds later.

United's Spanish keeper, returning to his home city after making his name as a youngster with Real's great rivals Atletico, distinguished himself with a succession of saves and a display that backed up Ferguson's claim that he is approaching maturity and growing into life at Old Trafford.The result leaves the second leg delicately balanced but even as United took the acclaim of their travelling fans it was clear much work is still to be done before they can contemplate a place in the last eight. Real ominously illustrated their attacking riches led by the magnificent Ronaldo, who will relish his return to Manchester.United were without captain Nemanja Vidic and it soon became clear that Phil Jones was not under orders to shadow Ronaldo, with Rooney pushed to the right flank.
The tone was set for a magnificent first half as Real poured forward into attack. Angel Di Maria went narrowly wide and it took a top-class save from De Gea to touch Coentrao's low drive on to the upright.
After surviving that early pressure, United exploited Real's weakness at set pieces to secure an away goal after 20 minutes as Welbeck pulled away from Sergio Ramos to meet Rooney's corner and angle a fine header away from Lopez.
For all Real's failings at the back, they were attacking United from all angles. It was no surprise when they restored parity on the half hour - and no surprise that the source was Ronaldo.
In a moment reminiscent of his goal for United in the 2008 Champions League victory against Chelsea in Moscow, Ronaldo hung in the air to meet Di Maria's delivery and direct a header past the diving De Gea.
The celebration against his former club was subdued but this iconic arena did not hold back as his name rang around the Bernabeu.
United, however, had been encouraged by Real's defensive frailties as a stretching Welbeck almost produced the perfect response, only to direct his finish off target. Rooney then gave Real another anxious moment by shooting narrowly wide.Mourinho was prowling his technical area throughout and responded to chants of "sit down Mourinho" from United's travelling support perched high to his right with an imperious wave.Real maintained their impetus after the break and De Gea was in action again with an athletic stop at the far post to block Coentrao once more.Little had been seen of Van Persie, apart from an early yellow card after a clash with Sergio Ramos, but he burst into the action and could have twice restored United's lead.He was unfortunate as his rising shot was touched on to the bar by Lopez but he was guilty of a bad miss when he was presented with time and space in the area seconds later.As Real waited for an offside flag that never came, the normally clinical striker miscued his shot and its lack of power allowed Alonso to recover and clear off the line.De Gea rescued United again with 11 minutes left as Real continued to press, diving away to his right to clutch Sami Khedira's effort.Van Persie had one more chance to snatch a win for United in the closing seconds, but his angled drive was touched to safety by Lopez.

Everton 1-0 Manchester United

Robin van Persie started life at Manchester United with a defeat as Everton produced an outstanding performance to deservedly claim victory at Goodison Park.Sir Alex Ferguson's £24m signing from Arsenal emerged as a 67th-minute substitute - but he made a quiet introduction and was powerless to prevent United starting the Premier League season with a defeat - their first since they lost at Chelsea in 2004.And it was fitting that Everton's winning goal came from the outstanding Marouane Fellaini, who tormented Manchester United's makeshift defence throughout a thunderous evening on Merseyside.The giant Belgian's towering 57th minute header from Darron Gibson's corner finally ended the defiance of United keeper David de Gea, who had kept Everton at bay with a series of outstanding first half saves.Leon Osman also struck the crossbar - and when Van Persie was finally introduced Everton had an iron grip on the game and only looked like conceding the advantage Fellaini had given them when Phil Jagielka cleared off the line from Tom Cleverley.Everton have traditionally been slow starters but in this opening game they dominated United for spells, with keeper Tim Howard only being troubled by the occasional effort from Wayne Rooney.Goodison Park celebrated the victory noisily at the final whistle, leaving Ferguson to contemplate a lacklustre performance undermined by a reshuffled rearguard in which Michael Carrick never settled in his role as emergency central defender alongside returning captain Nemanja Vidic.

United were without Rio Ferdinand, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans - and how Everton exploited the weakness.

Ferguson eased Van Persie into life at Old Trafford with a place on the bench, entrusting attacking duties to Rooney and England youngster Danny Welbeck.

United were grateful to keeper De Gea for a performance of defiance and athleticism that kept his side on terms as they were terrorised by the power and presence of Fellaini.

The young Spaniard stretched to turn over Steven Pienaar's header then dived to turn away the South African's shot as Everton applied pressure. He did even better to save Osman's shot on the turn and leap to claw away a free-kick from Leighton Baines that was destined for the top corner.

United had opportunities of their own but they were rarities, Howard saving twice from Rooney and Welbeck rolling a low shot wide as United claimed a penalty when he tangled with Jagielka.

United's biggest escape came just after the interval when Fellaini once more headed into the path of Osman, who did beat De Gea but held his head in anguish as his effort rattled the crossbar.Everton were not to be denied and finally got the lead they so deserved. The source was no surprise as Fellaini - who had simply been too much for Carrick - rose above him to power in Gibson's corner.

United gave Everton their most anxious moment after 66 minutes when Jagielka cleared off the line from Cleverley and seconds later Van Persie entered the fray in place of Welbeck.

However, with Jagielka and Sylvain Distin magnificent, Everton were in no mood to see their resistance broken and they claimed a win their efforts merited.Everton manager David Moyes: "I'm really pleased because we performed ever so well. We've often started the season slowly but just because we've won one game doesn't mean we've had a good start - as it would not have been a bad start had we lost.

"Marouane Fellaini is a really good player. We can play him behind the striker, in the middle or because of his power in the air we can play him as a defensive one as well.

"The only time we had a really good start here we ended in the Champions League places. I don't know if that's possible but it would be nice for us not to be playing catch up.

"David de Gea made some great saves. In the build-up it was all about Manchester United and what they could do - I felt people called that wrong because we are a tough team to beat at Goodison Park.

"We defended really well when we had to. Phil Jagielka was outstanding."