Manchester United manager David Moyes remained upbeat despite the champions slipping to their eighth league defeat of the season against Stoke.

The Potters went into the game having failed to register a league win against the Red Devils since a 2-1 at the Victoria Ground on Boxing Day 1984.

But although United fielded Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata together for the first time they fell behind when a Charlie Adam free kick deflected into the back of the net off Michael Carrick after 38 minutes.

Van Persie levelled two minutes after the break when Mata steered the ball through to the Dutchman, who calmly slotted past Asmir Begovic.

United had never lost when van Persie had scored in the league.

But Adam put an end to that run with a thunderous strike that flew past David de Gea from 23 yards.

The defeat was Moyes's eighth in 24 games in the league. The last time they suffered so many defeats was in the 1989-90 season when they lost 11 times and finished 13th.

But Moyes said: "I thought the performance was really good. I thought we played well.

"We made numerous opportunities, played well, lost a goal from a free kick 30 yards from goal that took a deflection and a worldy. I thought we were the better team.

"They got a goal, we got back in it, I thought we were the team more likely and I thought on the day we did enough to certainly get something from the game."

For Stoke the result was huge having been beaten at Sunderland in their last game.

"Coming into a game against one of the top teams that might have affected us, but the lads weren't going to ever, ever feel sorry for themselves," said Stoke manager Mark Hughes.

"I thought it was a magnificent performance from us.

"We had a little bit of luck, which we would say in recent weeks we haven't had too much."