Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov netted penalties, as Manchester United beat Stoke 2-0 at Old Trafford.
The win, allied to Manchester City's 1-0 defeat at Everton, means that Sir Alex Ferguson's men have gone level on points at the top of the Premier League.
Kenwyne Jones had an early chance to test United goalkeeper Ben Amos, in for the injured Anders Lindergaard and the ill David De Gea, but the Stoke forward failed to take advantage of Rio Ferdinand's misplaced clearance and shot wide.
Michael Carrick saw a long-range effort clip off Wilson Palacios, then a Paul Scholes effort deflected off Peter Crouch and fizz past Thomas Sorensen's goal.
United finally took the lead after 37 minutes when Berbatov and Scholes combined to release Ji-Sung Park inside the area.
Stoke fans thought that Jermaine Pennant nicked the ball off the South Korean, but referee Mike Jones decided to award a penalty.
It was a correct decision, as the Stoke winger got the man before the ball, and Hernandez sent Sorensen the wrong way from the spot-kick.
United were awarded a second penalty seven minutes after the break, when Jon Walters hauled back Antonio Vaelncia in the area.
Berbatov took the responsibility this time, beating Sorensen with a low shot to the bottom corner of the net.
Paul Pogba came on to make his first Premier League appearance, and almost netted on his debut, only to be denied by Andy Wilkinson's goal-line clearance.