Stoke 0-0 Man Utd: LIVE updates and highlights from the bet365 Stadium

Stoke v Manchester United: Express Sport brings you LIVE coverage from the bet365 Stadium

29: So… anyone watched any good box-sets recently? I bing-watched Ozark in two days. Might start watching it again now… Shaqiri lets rip from distance but DDG watches it fly past the post. Jack Butland then makes a decent stop from Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who shot low from an acute angle.

26: Marcus Rashford does his best to break the monotony but his drilled effort his parried away by Jack Butland.

24: OK, I’ll say it. This is boring. Maybe my standards are too high but everything is too slow, stop-start and safe. I wish Mike Dean was refereeing. He’d see to this in no time. 

21: The ball sits up nicely for Choupo-Moting, who half-volleys over the bar from distance. It was one of those that you know won’t go in, but it would literally be a sin to waste.

18: It’s all gone stale folks. Stoke are prepared to get bodies behind the ball and they’re pressing well to leave United short of room. Not much happening I’m afraid.

15: Paul Pogba is drifting all over the pitch. He appears to have licence to go wherever he likes with the inclusion of Ander Herrera.

13: Jese and Choupo-Moting have a pretty difficult task today. The pair have been charged with holding the ball up and bringing others into play, but they’re pretty isolated and United’s defence are all over them like a rash.

10: Jose Mourinho’s side are gradually starting to assert themselves. I don’t think Stoke have touched the ball in the last couple of minutes.

9: Antonio Valencia and Henrikh Mkhitaryan play a neat one-two but the Armenia international can’t reach the return pass and Jack Butland collects.

6: Close! Both sides appear to be completely bypassing the midfield. Jese Rodriguez gets in behind the Manchester United defence with a long ball down the right flank, but his shot is fairly poor and dribbles wide.

3: Glorious pitch today. Choupo-Moting takes advantage of Bailly’s failed offside trap but his effort blazes over the bar.

Seconds later, Marcus Rashford breaks away, cuts it inside to Romelu Lukaku, but Kurt Zouma makes a tremendous recovery. Very lively start indeed.

1: STOKE 0-0 MANCHESTER UNITED

We’re underway at a cloudy Bet365 Stadium folks. Can the Red Devils follow Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham by taking maximum points? We’re about to find out.

17:28: The players have just emerged from the tunnel now. Stoke in their traditional red and white stripes while Manchester United are wearing a trendy (a word my mum regularly uses) black shirt and shorts.

17:25: Evening folks, sorry I’ve been absent. I just needed to tidy a few things up on the other blogs from today’s games.

While I adjust myself to the Staffordshire time zone, why not have a browse of these mildly interesting facts. 

• Table toppers Manchester United have a 100 percent record
• The Red Devils have scored 10 goals and conceded none
• Stoke twice drew 1-1 with United last season
• The Potters have won, lost and drawn in their three matches

OK, they were less than mildly interesting…

17:20: Jose Mourinho’s Red Devils have the only 100% record in the top flight, running in 10 unanswered goals against West Ham, Swansea and Leicester.

A trip to Stoke continues a generally favourable sequence of fixtures for the leaders but there will be plenty of reminders about the Potters’ defeat of Arsenal last month.

Another win, another confident showing and another clean sheet would go a long way to establishing United’s credentials as contenders, and underline a handy habit of seeing off lower-ranked opponents.

TWITTER ROUND-UP

Sammy: Difficult away match at fortress Stoke! But here’s to a clean sheet and three more points in the bag. Table toppers! Come on, lads!

Phil: Where is Marouane Fellaini? If things get physical his the exact player we need for this game.

Abhijit: Shift from 4-2-3-1 to 4-3-3 in a tough away game (also gives the chance to accommodate Herrera) is hardly a surprising one! Also gives us the chance to see how Herrera/Matic/Pogba MF three works.

17:10: Marcus Rashford starts for Manchester United after impressing on international duty with England.

Daley Blind is dropped to the bench by Jose Mourinho and replaced by Matteo Darmian.

Stoke new boy Kevin Wimmer makes his debut after Ryan Shawcross picked up a back injury.

And Maxim Choupo-Moting starts for the Potters despite being a doubt in midweek.

17:00: Here’s the starting XI’s folks…

Stoke:  Butland, Cameron, Zouma, Wimmer, Diouf, Fletcher, Allen, Pieters, Shaqiri, Jese, Choupo-Moting.

Subs: Grant, Berahino, Tymon, Martins Indi, Adam, Crouch, Ramadan.

Manchester United: De Gea, Valencia, Bailly, Jones, Darmian, Matic, Pogba, Herrera, Mkhitaryan, Rashford, Lukaku.

Subs: Romero, Blind, Smalling, Carrick, Mata, Lingard, Martial.

Referee: Neil Swarbrick

PREVIEW

STOKE TEAM NEWS

Stoke skipper Ryan Shawcross will miss today’s home game against former club Manchester United due to a back injury.

Latest signing and fellow centre-half Kevin Wimmer could make his debut in the absence of Shawcross and midfielder Darren Fletcher is hoping to shake off a knee injury in time to face his former club.

Mame Diouf (knee) could also return to contention, but winger Maxim Choupo-Moting is doubtful after straining his hamstring while on international duty with Cameroon.

MANCHESTER UNITED TEAM NEWS

Jose Mourinho will assess those returning from international duty.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marcos Rojo (both knee) remain long-term absentees, while Andreas Pereira has joined Valencia on loan since their last match.

Luke Shaw and Ashley Young have stepped up their return from serious injuries with the Under-23s.

PROVISIONAL SQUADS

Stoke squad: Butland, Zouma, Martins Indi, Wimmer, Cameron, Diouf, Fletcher, Allen, Pieters, Jese, Shaqiri, Choupo-Moting, Grant, Johnson, Berahino, Adam, Crouch, Ramadan.

Manchester United squad: De Gea, Romero, Valencia, Darmian, Blind, Shaw, Young, Jones, Bailly, Smalling, Lindelof, Matic, Pogba, Fellaini, Herrera, Carrick, Mata, Mkhitaryan, Lingard, McTominay, Rashford, Martial, Lukaku.

HISTORY

Last season: Stoke 1 Man Utd 1, Man Utd 1 Stoke 1

Last five league matches: Stoke L W L W D; Man Utd D W W W W

Top scorers (all competitions): Joe Allen & Peter Crouch (Stoke) 2; Romelu Lukaku (Man Utd) 4