Boro 4 Manchester United 1, October 29 2005
Middlesbrough 4 Manchester United 1
AN outstanding team performance saw Boro sweep aside the challenge of a star-studded Manchester United side.
From back to front there was not a weak link as Boro scored three goals against United in the first half for the first time since 1921 and never before at home.
Schwarzer's handling was exemplary, Boateng bossed the midfield, Yakubu and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink worked like Trojans while Gaizka Mendieta provided class.
Boro made the best possible start taking the lead with one minute and 38 seconds played.
Not many options were available for Gaizka Mendieta so the Spain international shot for goal 30 yards out, Edwin van der Sar seemed slow to get across and could only get fingers to the ball as it flew in.
Mendieta was in inspired form and set up Boro's second with 25 minutes played.
A glorious ball picked out Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink inside the United penalty area. He still had work to do but did it well as he held off a challenge from Ferdinand after reading the bounce of the ball much better, edged himself into a shooting position and cracked a powerful shot in off a startled van der Sar.
Schwarzer was forced into a fine save in the closing minutes of the first half, moving smartly to his left to block a low shot on the turn from van Nistelrooy.
But Boro ended the half strongly and looked good on the break against a vulnerable looking United rearguard.
Three and a half minutes into-injury time Boro pressed, Hasselbaink played a short ball inside to Stuart Parnaby who was brought down inside the area by Kieran Richardson, a 31st minute replacement for Phil Bardsley.
United protested, no-one knows why, and both Ferdinand and van der Sar were lucky not to be shown the yellow card. The appeals carried on after referee Alan Wiley blew for half-time, by which time Boro had increased their lead as Yakubu sent van der Sar the wrong way from the spot.
It got even better as Boro scored a fourth 13 minutes from time.
Yakubu determinedly bore his way through into the United penalty area after again getting the better of Ferdinand, drilled his way along the goal line and unselfishly pulled the ball back to Gaizka Mendieta, who struck a low shot past van der Sar who had been pulled out of position.
Three-and-a-half minutes into injury time United scored Cristiano Ronaldo rose high on the edge of the six-yard box out to powerfully head home a right-wing corner
It was a goal which brought no reaction whatsoever from Sir Alex as he remained, arms folded, firmly in his seat.
The goal, a token gesture in an abject performance, did help United reach a milestone as they became the first team to score 1,000 goals in the Premiership.
TEAMS
Middlesbrough: Schwarzer; Queudrue, Bates, Riggott, Parnaby, Rochemback (Doriva 64), Mendieta (Morrison 86), Boateng, Pogatetz, Yakubu, Hasselbaink (Capt) (Nemeth 79). Unused subs: Jones (gk); Viduka.
Manchester United: van der Sar; Bardsley (Richardson 31), Ferdinand (Brown 86), Silvestre, O'Shea, Fletcher, Smith, Scholes (Capt), Rooney, van Nistelrooy, Park (Ronaldo 59). Unused subs: Howard (gk); Rossi.
REFEREE: Alan Wiley, Burntwood, Staffordshire.
BOOKINGS
Middlesbrough: Pogatetz, 17,foul on Rooney.
Manchester United: van Nistelrooy, 19,foul on Boateng; Alan Smith, 45,foul on Yakubu; Fletcher, 70,dissent; O'Shea, 89,kicking the ball away.
ATTENDANCE: 30,579
CONDITIONS: Blustery but reasonably warm.
WEBSITE BORO MAN OF THE MATCH: Gaizka Mendieta
