Tevez nicks win as petulant pair escape censure

CROWNED champions of the world in Japan less than a week ago, Manchester United quickly discovered their new found standing counts for nothing in the more mundane surroundings of the Britannia Stadium.

A late Carlos Tevez goal may have delivered victory against an obstinate Stoke, but the win was marred by yet more ill-discipline from Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo that ensured referee Chris Foy was the pivotal figure in the game.

Foy’s decision to send off Stoke full-back Andy Wilkinson 18 minutes from time was beyond dispute, the defender giving the match official no choice but to issue a second yellow card following his tackle from behind on Ronaldo that set new standards in stupidity. More contentious however, was Foy’s failure to act when Wayne Rooney threw an elbow at Abdoulaye Faye on the hour and then again when Ronaldo kicked out at Wilkinson just six minutes before the Stoke player was sent off.