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Ryan Giggs inspired Manchester United as the Barclays Premier League champions moved to the top of the table with a 2-0 victory over Stoke at the Britannia Stadium.

Giggs will reach his 36th birthday in November, but the Welsh midfielder’s desire to add to his collection of 11 Premier League winners medals shows no signs of abating. Giggs came on as as a substitute, and showed how devastating he can be after Stoke had frustrated Sir Alex Ferguson’s team for over an hour.

The Welshman was instrumental in setting up the goal for Dimitar Berbatov as the Bulgarian international broke the deadlock in the 62nd minute, just six minutes after Ferguson had run out of patience with Nani. Giggs also played a part in making sure of the victory 13 minutes from time with the perfectly flighted free kick that enabled John O’Shea to send a glancing header beyond Thomas Sorensen.

First English football’s most decorated player showed all the composure of his 35 years to provide Dimitar Berbatov with a tap-in. Fifteen minutes later, Giggs curled over the free-kick that allowed John O’Shea to mark his 350th appearance with a goal as the Irishman guided his header into the far corner.

In both instances, the goalscorer immediately ran to their 35-year-old team-mate to offer their thanks.On the touchline, Nani could only watch – and maybe learn – because at some point, he will have to improve. Despite the tactics of frustration, United should have been well ahead by half-time.

It was only their lack of composure in front of Sorensen that prevented it and the biggest culprit was Antonio Valencia, who continues to struggle to justify the $29 million price Ferguson paid to lure him from Wigan as a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo.

Valencia is still searching for his first goal for his new club and will get few better opportunities than the one when he beat Ryan Shawcross and raced clear with only Sorensen to beat, but he clipped his shot wide of the far post. Nani, the man Ronaldo believes can fill the void he has left at Old Trafford, fared little better.

He infuriated Wayne Rooney by not passing to him on the edge of the area, after the England international had sparked a quick counter-attack from inside his own half, but did force a full length save from Sorensen two minutes before the break.

Giggs finally broke the deadlock when he was given a wonderful pass by Darren Fletcher in the 62nd minute. Where Nani had so often failed to provide the correct final ball, Giggs simply rolled the coolest of passes into the path of Berbatov, who could not miss the simple tap in.

That was the signal for Stoke to crumble and United completed their success 13 minutes from time. Once more Giggs was involved and delivered the perfect free-kick for O’Shea to collect his first Premier League goal for 17 months.