Cristiano Ronaldo notches a ton as Manchester United run riot over Stoke - match report

Cristiano Ronaldo marked his manager's 'Golden Jubilee' by scoring his 100th goal for Manchester United as the Red Devils bounced back from their Emirates defeat by thrashing Stoke.

The Portuguese winger scored a brilliant brace as United crushed the Potters, and clocking up his century on the same day Sir Alex Ferguson celebrated 50 years in football.

"Ronaldo is back," said Fergie. "He's right on song.

"We've been waiting for him to score from free-kicks and we're now seeing his real power. He's going to get even better as the season goes on."

This will send a shiver of fear down the backs of United's title rivals.

It must be difficult to follow a season in which you score 42 goals and win two Player of the Year gongs.

But even with the soap opera of his transfer tug-of-war between United and Real Madrid still rumbling on, he's managed to notch nine goals already this campaign - more than at the same stage last time around.

Ronaldo was vigorously booed by the Stoke fans - but two magical free-kicks, which bookended the game, managed to shut them up, and sound a warning to Liverpool and Chelsea.

The United winger opened the defending champions' account with a swerving strike.

"He keeps practising them," added Ferguson. "He's always trying something new."

From the moment he let fly from 25 yards the ball looked destined for the back of the net - although keeper Thomas Sorensen managed to get a hand to it.

Clearly delighted with his landmark strike, he made a '100' figure in the air.

Then, just before the interval, he ran past two Stoke players and laid the ball off for Michael Carrick to smash it past Sorensen for United's second.

Dimitar Berbatov added a third just after the break - only his second strike in 10 league appearances - after some fine link-up play between Darren Fletcher and Carlos Tevez on the right flank. Then United's latest home-grown teen sensation - Danny Welbeck - got in on the act with an amazing 30-yard strike on his debut.

The 17-year-old said: "I come from Manchester so this is a dream come true for me.

"I've thought about this moment every minute of my life since I started playing football.

"I'm going to watch that goal over and over again. But I'm not going to let it go to my head."

With a few minutes remaining, another brilliant Ronaldo free-kick completed City's misery.

With a bit more luck and focus he could have easily claimed a hat-trick.

He blasted wide from close in and Sorensen spilled another of his trademark swerving dead-ball deliveries.

The Red Devils knew they could not afford any more slip-ups after last weekend's 2-1 defeat at Arsenal and were determined to make the Potters suffer. With Wayne Rooney still out with a chest infection, they took time to reproduce their usual movement, pace and fluidity.

But once Fergie's men got in to their stride, there was no stopping them.

They could have doubled their lead before Carrick struck if Ji-Sung Park had been a bit sharper. First Berbatov put him through for a one-onone with Sorensen - but the keeper rushed out quickly to block. Then, just before the interval, the midfielder expertly turned Danny Higginbotham, but curled the ball over from just a few yards out.

Stoke tried their best to contain United. The Potters are not supposed to be pushovers, having picked up points against Liverpool and Arsenal.

But in the end they simply capitulated as the game became a stroll for the home side.

Rory Delap only got two opportunities to show off his incredible 'exocet' throw-ins - but neither caused the expected mayhem in the United rearguard.

And the closest Stoke got to scoring was a John O'Shea back-header which Edwin Van der Sar tipped over the bar.

"They just picked us off in the end," said Stoke manager Tony Pulis.

"We killed ourselves in the first half conceding so early. Once they scored their third they smelled blood.

"Even with Rooney out, they've got Ronaldo, Tevez and Berbatov, and lots of youngsters coming through."