By Oliver Sparrow, writing from London

United stuttered to their first away win of the season after they scraped a 2-1 victory over a battling Stoke side at the Britannia stadium.

It was a match that United had to win, starting off the day an already massive eight points behind Chelsea. The first ten minutes were probably the brightest in the whole game for United, and they dominated play from the outset. Fletcher almost put through Berbatov with a lovely through-ball, but he was thwarted by Sorensen who rushed out to clear. Every touch by a United player was being booed by the Stoke faithful and they were making for an exciting and boisterous atmosphere.

Berbatov in particular looked to be fired up for the game, throwing up his hands angrily when things weren’t going the Bulgarian’s way. The brightest player for United, though, was Hernandez who looked alert and mobile, lurking at the back of the last defender at all times, waiting to pounce. Stoke were looking resolute, though, and they had their fair share of possession. United’s play was poor at times, with lots of wayward passing and poor movement.

Evra was deployed on the left wing which highlighted the lack of good attacking wingers at United’s disposal at the moment. Ferguson will have hoped he would put in a Bale-like performance, but the Frenchman looked all at sea and had an awful game throughout. He is suffering from a prolonged spell of poor form and he seems unable to pick out a pass at the moment. He has been quoted in the papers today as following Wayne Rooney’s tune and saying that he will leave if he doesn’t think that United have good enough players to win trophies anymore. Perhaps Patrice and Wayne should look closer to home to find out why United haven’t been doing so well of late…

The United fans were given something to cheer about when Hernandez scored to put them ahead. Nani swung in a cross from the right, and Vidic rose well to head the ball across the area. Hernandez looked to be in an impossible position to head the ball, but miraculously readjusted to send a fine effort towards goal with the back of his head. It was a great goal, and no less than the young striker deserved.

Gary Neville was also given a rare start for United, and he was another who failed to impress. The surprisingly good Etherington, who has blossomed since leaving West Ham, gave the United old man a torrid time, and Neville should have been sent off when he brought down the Stoke winger with a cynical sliding challenge, but the referee somehow deemed it not to be worthy of a second yellow. He knew that he had got away with it, and gave a wry smile to the camera. There was still time in the half for Scholes to make a trademark ill-timed sliding challenge for which he was duly added to the referee’s book. Once vaguely amusing and endearing, Scholes’ challenges are now not so funny. There doesn’t seem a week in which he doesn’t make a reckless dangerous challenge, and it’s a wonder that he doesn’t find himself sent off in most games.

The second half started with an appeal for a United penalty after Evra was shoved over by a back-tracking Rory Delap. It was a cynical push, but Evra didn’t look like making the ball. Stoke were looking more dangerous, taking advantage of more bad passing by United, but they lacked the quality in the final third to make United pay.

United almost wrapped up the points when Berbatov broke down the left to whip a lovely cross in for the advancing Hernandez, but the Mexican’s effort flew wide of the post. Pulis replied by bringing on Tuncay and Gudjohnsen to spice up their attacking play, and it brought rewards. Tuncay, who looks a class above his Stoke teammates in the skill department, took the ball on the left after another poor pass from Scholes gave the ball away, and cut inside the frankly rubbish Evra to curl a delightful finish into the helpless Van der Sar’s top corner. It was a sensational strike, and it put Stoke right back into the game, which is what they probably deserved.

United fans were dejected and it was another case of away-day déjà vu for the Reds. However, it was to be the fans’ favourite ‘little pea’ who would save the day for them. United raised their game and the tempo, which paid immediate dividends. Berbatov clipped a ball into the box from the right, which Scholes managed to flick onto Evra. The Frenchman chested the ball and managed to swivel to strike a shot on goal which Hernandez managed to stab into the net. The little Mexican had once again showed what a threat he is in the box, and looks like he could be a real star for United this season.

Four minutes of extra time were shown and the United fans were beginning to chew their fingernails, but another Stoke comeback was not to be. They saw out the game and hung on for a tight victory. It was yet another unconvincing display by United, but one would suspect it can’t be long before some of their big stars start to hit form and the Reds are once again firing on all cylinders.