Premier League: Michael Carrick and Robin Van Persie help Manchester United past Stoke

Manchester United moved 15 points clear at the top of the Premier League after a comfortable 2-0 victory at free-falling Stoke.

After the game, striker Van Persie admitted he was href='http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11667/8640025/Robin-van-Persie-relieved-to-end-Manchester-United-goal-drought'>relieved after ending his goal drought. "It was an important point in the game. I had to score that one and thankfully it went in, so after that the relief of a couple of weeks came out," he said. "I wanted to celebrate it with everyone, with the players, with the staff, all the players involved even on the bench because they have been great with me from day one." United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was delighted href='http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11667/8640072/Manchester-United-boss-Sir-Alex-Ferguson-praises-striker-Robin-van-Persie'>to see his major summer signing back on the scoresheet. You go through spells when you don't score where you never think you're ever going to get a goal, and then when you are scoring you think you're never going to miss," he said. "Today was an important goal. He did really good work from Wayne's pass to get brought down for the penalty." Meanwhile, Stoke boss Tony Pulis felt his side href='http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11701/8640127/Stoke-boss-Tony-Pulis-unhappy-after-home-loss-to-Manchester-United'>'shot themselves in the foot' again as his side look to avoid relegation. "You build up to a big game and you want to play high tempo and everything else and you know you give away a bad goal from a set-play, and that settled United and took the steam out of us. "Our last two home games against (Aston) Villa and now United, we've given away silly goals."