Manchester United blew an opportunity to keep pace with the leaders after a 1-1 draw at home to Stoke City.
The visitors held firm in the first half, with goalkeeper Lee Grant making some wonderful saves to deny the hosts.
After the interval, Stoke enjoyed a small period of ascendancy but failed to capitalise, as Joe Allen struck a tame shot at David de Gea from close range.
Jose Mourinho decided to ring the changes on the hour mark, brining on Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial for Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard – it worked a treat.
On 69 minutes, Martial finished with an emphatic curling effort after Rooney was involved in the buildup play.
That solitary goal looked as if it would be enough, only for Allen to tap in from point-blank range, following Jonathan Walters’ scuffed shot which bobbled onto the crossbar.
Stoke stood firm in the dying stages of the game under intense United pressure, and rode their luck when Paul Pogba crashed a header against the crossbar, to earn an invaluable point.
Here are some of the best reactions on Twitter:
FT: #MUFC 1-1 #SCFC we didn’t capitalise on all our chances and we’ve dropped points again. Simply not good enough. No passion. No finishing pic.twitter.com/JrRLQ5EbTN
— Full Time DEVILS (@FullTimeDEVILS) October 2, 2016
Can’t blame anyone but the players for that, should of had 3+ goals, shouldn’t of conceded either. So disappointing. #mufc
— – (@BenRoseMUFC) October 2, 2016
Threw that away. #MUFC
— Scott Owen (@scotto_01) October 2, 2016
Pathetic to blow that game like that after last week. #MUFC #MUNSTK
— Katie Lambeski (@katielambeski) October 2, 2016
2 loses and 1 draw
Losing easy points
Poor finishing #mufc #pl— Mohsin ⚽️ (@thePakhtun_LAD) October 2, 2016
Disappointed we failed to bag three points from this game. A team which is at the bottom of the table. #MUFC
— Naveen Ullal (@UllalIBT) October 2, 2016
If you miss 6 four yard free chances, you don’t deserve to win. So we deserved nothing. #MUFC
— Jaydn_MUFC (@JaydnMUFC) October 2, 2016
Seems like there was no urgency to get a 2 or 3 until we concede . We need to be playing high tempo . #MUFC
— nick longland (@LonglandNick) October 2, 2016
After the mess Moyes and LVG left us in I can see improvements… however as Utd fans we demand results & that was not good enough #mufc
— Steve (@FostersTop) October 2, 2016
Should have been out of sight within the first 45 minutes; Mourinho needs to address our defensive frailties #MUFC
— Oliver Dyer (@Olidyer) October 2, 2016
A real sickner that. We should have smashed in a good few against this lot. No positives. A poor result. Scousers away next. #mufc
— Amarpreet Singh (@Amarpreet_87) October 2, 2016
Decent performance. Created chances. Would have won the game 4-1 if we have taken them. The improvement post-LvG is continuing. #MUFC
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) October 2, 2016
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