I could not ask for Mour

summer signings Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba the main culprits.

But Mourinho insists it was a better display than last week’s against champions Leicester, who they thumped 4-1.

He said: “It should have been three or four nil at half-time, six or seven at the end. But the result is 1-1.

“That’s football. Very undeserved but I repeat, a much better performance than against Leicester.

“Against Leicester, the result was more than the performance deserved and this was the opposite. The best performance by far.

“I am very happy with the performance but when the result should be 5-0 or 6-0 and it is 1-1, then the happiness disappears and the frustration with the result comes.

“We kept creating chances and then by magic they crossed the midfield line and scored a goal which is very unfair for us.”

Mourinho refused to criticise his side’s finishing even though they found the net just once from 24 shots. He said: “The goalkeeper is the man of the match and deservedly. The post, too.”

It could have been worse for United as Ander Herrera escaped a ban for sticking his studs into Allen’s thigh in the 54th minute.

Stoke boss Mark Hughes said: “I have not seen it.

“At the time I thought it was mistimed to say the least.”

Keeper Lee Grant, on loan from Derby, made a string of saves to earn the visitors a point.

Hughes said: “That is what he is there for.”