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Carlos Tevez poached a late winner to boost Manchester United’s title chances and deny ten-man Stoke City what would have been a deserved point.

The Argentinian made no mistake from six yards in the 83rd minute - ten minutes after City defender Andy Wilkinson had been sent off for a second yellow card.

United suffered a blow when Rio Ferdinand was forced to pull out after the pre-match warm-up with Jonny Evans stepping in to take his place.

And Stoke almost got off to a sensational start with Ricardo Fuller squandering an outstanding opportunity after just 50 seconds.

Richard Cresswell’s mis-hit shot ballooned into the air and, as the United rearguard hesitated, Fuller ran clear before slicing his effort over the top.

Stoke were being willed on by their fervent supporters and it needed a fine tackle from Paul Scholes to deny Fuller another clear strike on goal in the tenth minute.

It was once again Fuller who was causing problems minutes later when Edwin van der Sar raced from his goal to deny him after the Jamaica international had fastened onto a super pass from Rory Delap.

The sight of Delap, who had suffered shoulder problems, delivering his long throw-ins was another sign of encouragement for the home fans, who were raising the roof at a packed Britannia Stadium.

United finally landed a blow on Stoke’s goal in the 25th minute when Wayne Rooney headed Gary Neville’s cross straight into the clutches of Thomas Sorensen.

There were three bookings in rapid succession, Cresswell and Wilkinson for Stoke and Evans for United, as a full-blooded contest continued to boil.

United gradually began to see more of the ball in the final stages of the first half and Rooney fizzed one cross dangerously along City’s six-yard box, before attempting to curl home a shot which was deflected away for a corner.

The visitors upped the ante at the start of the second half as Sorensen saved Tevez’s effort and then produced a magnificent effort to deny Scholes.

Scholes had time to look up and pick his spot from 25 yards, but Sorensen took off at full stretch to tip the ball around the post.

But Stoke were in no mood to be forced back and van der Sar made a similar save to deny Fuller just seconds later before Danny Pugh headed a Delap throw narrowly over.

Sir Alex Ferguson brought on Dimitar Berbatov for John O’Shea in an attempt to force the pace, but Stoke continued to look the most likely winners until Wilkinson was sent off.

Already booked for a foul on Ryan Giggs in the first half, the young defender’s inexperience showed as he hacked at Cristiano Ronaldo’s ankles.

There was still no real sign of United breaking down the Stoke defence until the all-important goal arrived seven minutes from time.

Berbatov’s excellent first touch created room for a shot and, although he miscued his effort, Tevez steamed in to ram the loose ball into the roof of the net.

Tags: BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE, Carlos Tevez, Cristiano ronaldo, Dimitar Berbatov, manchester united, rooney

Patrice Evra has told his Manchester United team-mates to focus on a hat-trick of Premier League titles.

The champagne corks had barely stopped popping on United’s Club World Cup victory at the weekend before France defender Evra turned his thoughts back to domestic action in England.

Not only did United enjoy a successful trip to Japan to end the year as world champions, as well as reigning Premier League and Champions League holders, but they received a further boost as Chelsea and Liverpool wasted their chance to open up a big lead over Sir Alex Ferguson’s team.

United could have returned from Asia with a substantial deficit to make up on the top two, but Liverpool’s draw at Arsenal and Chelsea’s goalless scrap at Everton kept the Old Trafford outfit within seven points of first place, with two games in hand.

Now Evra has already forgotten about United’s successful 2008 and is focusing on another trophy-filled 2009 with ronaldo and rooney in great form.

“My target is to win three titles in a row,” he said. “To win it again would be the best feeling. We have the potential to do it but we must keep working hard.”

Evra will be missing during United’s Christmas fixtures as he serves the four-match suspension handed out by the Football Association for his part in the battle of Stamford Bridge - the post-match row which erupted between United players and Chelsea groundstaff last season.

The former Monaco star is likely to make his first appearance after the ban against Chelsea, at Old Trafford.

“I would like to thank the FA for my little holiday, it means I can spend more time with my family over Christmas,” he joked.

“I have thought about the ban every day. Of course, I am happy we have won the trophy but I am still very angry because I don’t accept I did what they say.

“When you miss games through injury, you can understand it but to miss four games because of this hurts.

“It’s not the best Christmas present for me, that’s for sure.

Tags: Cristiano ronaldo, evra, manchester united, rooney

Manchester United visit Stoke City on Boxing Day, less than a week after winning the Club World Cup and just over a month after hammering the Potters 5-0 at Old Trafford.

Stoke are already eyeing the fast-approaching January transfer window as their squad begins to suffer from the gruelling top-flight calendar.

Last year’s Coca-Cola Championship runners-up have won more home games than any other team in the bottom half of the league, with only Fulham and United having won more than Stoke’s five on their own turf.

Yet not only are the Potters winless away from home but the last five weeks have brought just one victory at the Britannia Stadium, although they have lost only once, to Derby County in the Carling Cup.

Manager Tony Pulis has refused to put the blame solely on his thin squad, although his apparent delight at the thought of new players suggests he knows that fresh blood is overdue at the club.

“We’ll be looking to do some business in January because we need to improve in certain areas. Losing Mama (Sidibe) is a huge blow for us, but we will look to address that in the transfer window,” he said.

Mali striker Sidibe is out until the middle of January with a knee injury, an absence that is compounded by fellow frontman Dave Kitson suffering from a similar knock, although he could return this week.

Top-scorer Ricardo Fuller is healthy and should start up front, despite failing to score so far in December, while Richard Cresswell and Vincent Pericard are the other attacking options likely to be used.

Liam Lawrence, Leon Cort, Salif Diao and Andy Griffin are all battling to be match-fit, while first-choice goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen injured his finger last weekend and is a major doubt.

United are likely to be suffering more from exhaustion than any specific injury crisis, having flown back from Japan at the start of this week.

They are at least full of confidence after becoming the first English team to win the current version of the Club World Cup, beating Liga de Quito 1-0 in Sunday’s Final.

They did so without any obvious damage to the squad, which will have been a welcome Christmas bonus to manager Sir Alex Ferguson although defender Nemanja Vidic was sent of in the Final and will be suspended for the next Champions League match.

The Serbian will be available on Boxing Day as Ferguson looks likely to stick to a similar starting eleven to the one which played last Sunday, although Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Dimitar Berbatov

will be looking to come in for Rafael Da Silva, Ji-Sung Park and Carlos Tevez.

Tags: BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE, Cristiano ronaldo, manchester united, rooney, stoke city

Wayne Rooney was Manchester United’s match-winner as Sir Alex Ferguson’s ten-man side beat LDU Quito to win the Club World Cup.

The former Everton star grabbed the vital goal with 17 minutes left after being set up by Cristiano Ronaldo.

The late strike capped a fine tournament for Rooney who had scored twice after coming off the substitute’s bench in Thursday’s 5-3 semi-final victory against Asian champions Gamba Osaka.

But Sunday’s win was marred by Nemanja Vidic’s dismissal in the opening stages of the second half when the Serbia international aimed an elbow at Claudio Bieler as the two men lay on the ground.

United had dominated the goalless opening half but would have led at the interval but for some superb goalkeeping by the Ecuador team’s veteran shot-stopper Jose Cevallos.

However, Quito created the first opening of the match when Jairo Campos somehow failed to find the target after getting on the end of Alejandro Manso’s free-kick.

When United responded, Cevallos twice denied Rooney before diving to his right to keep out Carlos Tevez’s header after some good work by Ronaldo.

Cevallos then palmed away Park Ji Sung’s fierce shot before keeping another Tevez effort out.

Park sliced an attempted chip over the bar just before half-time as United continued to dominate.

However, the second half was a more even affair after Vidic’s dismissal which looks set to keep him out of at least the first Champions League clash with Internazionale in February.

Manso tested Edwin van der Sar with a long-range effort but it was United that finally broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute when Ronaldo set up England international Rooney who fired a crisp shot into the far corner of the net.

The South American champions tried hard to grab a late equaliser with Manso going closest with another rasping long-range drive that Van der Sar was forced to tip over the bar.

Tags: Cristiano ronaldo, Fifa club world cup, manchester united, rooney