Manchester United's new-look line-up crashed to a 2-1 defeat at Stoke City on Saturday as they squandered another opportunity to make up ground on the Premier League's top four.

United fielded Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and record signing Juan Mata in their starting XI for the first time, but an eighth defeat of the campaign left the champions six points below the Champions League places.

On an afternoon of howling wind at the Britannia Stadium, Stoke took a 38th-minute lead when Charlie Adam's 35-yard free-kick took a huge deflection off Michael Carrick that wrong-footed goalkeeper David de Gea.

United equalised two minutes into the second half, Van Persie finishing adroitly from Mata's deft pass, only for Adam to restore Stoke's lead five minutes later with a glorious shot into the top-right corner.

The visitors piled on the pressure in stoppage time, but to no avail, with Tom Cleverley blazing a shot over the crossbar after Asmir Begovic had palmed a free-kick from Rooney onto the post. It was Stoke's first win over United since December 1984 and saw them climb to 11 th place in the table.

With top-four teams Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool not in action, Everton were the only side who fully capitalised on the opportunity to close on the Champions League places.

Thrashed 4-0 by Liverpool in midweek, Everton fell 1-0 down at home to Aston Villa when Leandro Bacuna finished off a slick counter-attack.

However, Steven Naismith came off the bench to score a 74th-minute equaliser before Kevin Mirallas's late free-kick secured a 2-1 win that left Roberto Martinez's side a point behind Liverpool in fifth place.

Tottenham Hotspur were unable to follow Everton's lead after being held to a 1-1 draw at Hull City that saw them slip to sixth.

Spurs were crushed 5-1 by City on Wednesday and they had to settle for a point at the KC Stadium after Paulinho's smart 61 st-minute finish cancelled out Shane Long's first Hull goal in the first half.

Sunderland leapt up the table to 14th place after prevailing 3-0 against derby rivals Newcastle United at St lames' Park for the second season running.

Fabio Borini's penalty gave Sunderland the lead in the 19th minute and Adam Johnson tapped in his seventh goal in seven games four minutes later before Jack Colback sealed victory with a late strike.

West Ham United also recorded a potentially important victory, weather-ing the dismissal of striker Andy Carroll to overcome Swansea City 2-0 at Upton Park, although they remained in the bottom three.

Carroll created both of West Ham's first-half goals, knocking the ball down for Kevin Nolan to break the deadlock in the 26th minute and then teeing up the same player to head in a second in first-half injury time.