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MIDDLESBROUGH v MANCHESTER UNITED MATCH REPORT
Schwarzer, Pogatetz, Bates, Riggott, Queudrue, Parnaby, Rochemback (Doriva 62), Boateng, Mendieta, Yakubu, Hasselbaink
Jones, Morrison, Nemeth, Viduka
Middlesbrough v Manchester United doesn't need a dramatic intro. It speaks for itself.
What price a win today? Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink captained the side and The Boss stuck with the 5-3-2 formation that had worked so well on Wednesday night.
THE FIRST HALF
Boro kicked off but it was United who had the first shot of the game, within the first minute. Bates was equal to Scholes and Boro were more than equal to United as they strode up the other end, the crisp move culminating in a dream shot from Mendieta that had van der Sar scrambling and squabbling and Boro celebrating.
MIDDLESBROUGH 1 MANCHESTER UNITED 0 (Mendieta 2 mins)
Some will say that the goal was a result of van der Sar's fumble/error but Gaizka's shot was outstanding and simply too much for the United keeper.
Boro didn't sit back on the lead in what was still the very early stages of the game. We kept the tempo flowing and the pace brisk.
Mendieta looked more than up for this match and was obviously much happier in his natural position. Top level decision making at it's best can often be a drawn out process.
After Boro had slowed the tempo for the first time in the match, United were able to get an attack going that ended with Chris Riggott taking Rooney out in fine style and Boro regaining control of the match.
On fifteen minutes, Mendieta once again justified Steve McClaren's decision to return him to central midfield when he collected the ball from Boateng and clattered the bar with a shot that had the United defence well beaten.
There were interruptions in the play after twenty minutes as first Pogatetz and then van Nistelrooy were booked for harsh challenges and Boro had to fight to recover the rythym that we had established so far.
But recover it we did and Gaizka Mendieta was once again instrumental as he played the dream through ball to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink who drifted past the embarrassed Rio Ferdinand and smashed home, lighting up The Riverside and Fergie's face at the same time.
MIDDLESBROUGH 2 MANCHESTER UNITED 0 (Hasselbaink 25 mins)
Rio Ferdinand tried to encourage his team-mates but was having difficulty struggling beyond the nightmare he was having. As The Riverside crowd cheered every pass, Rio trembled every time the ball came anywhere remotely near him.
United made changes to their formation via the substitution of the shell-shocked Bardsley for Richardson. It settled them for a while and Boro were content to keep it tight in midfield and wait for an opportunity for the next attempt at goal.
Boro had dominated United in the first half hour with a home performance of true quality. It had been a long time coming.
With five minutes remaining of the first half, Boro started another flurry of attacking play that had United's new look defence looking as unstable as the last version.
Yet again, Gaizka Mendieta was forcing the pace as Boro created three consecutive chances but the star man sustained a head injury as the frustrated Silvestre floored him with an elbow.
He continued with damage over his right eye but was still inspirational as Rooney and van Nistelrooy ended the first-half deep in the United defence.
Defending against a defender as Stuart Parnaby surged into the box and was denied a shot by Kieran Richardson who dragged him down by the shirt. There was no doubt that it was a penalty and The Yak made no mistake.
MIDDLESBROUGH 3 MANCHESTER UNITED 0 (Yakubu pen 45 mins)
It's well worth doing that again.
MIDDLESBROUGH 3 MANCHESTER UNITED 0 (Yakubu pen 45 mins)
FIRST HALF FAN REACTION
"This is how we should have been playing all season. We have attacking players, so let 'em attack..."
Datsun
THE SECOND HALF
Boro made no changes for the second half as United came out early, no doubt after suffering some severe hairdryer treatment.
Jimmy Floyd should have added a fourth from the first move that Boro put together, Mendieta once again cutting through and finding the striker whose moment of indecision cost him the goal.
But it was United who created a string of attacks in the first ten minutes of the half but they failed to create any clear cut opportunities and van Nistelrooy resorted to trying to win free-kicks by diving when Chris Riggott was nearby. His acting was as bad as his shooting today though and the referee was having none of it.
Fergie brought on Cristiano Ronaldo for Park but it was going to take more than one substitution to restore United's order and discipline. It was still Boro pulling all the strings on the hour as another Mendieta twenty-five yard screamer raced past van der Sar and landed just wide.
Fabio Rochemback, improving with every match had his game cut short with a suspected groin injury. Doriva replaced him and Boro immediately attacked, JFH once again shooting wide.
United's day was summed up by van der Sar leaping over the advertising hoarding to recover the ball from two fans who had hoped to keep it as a souvenir. He wrestled it from them, returned to the penalty area and was told by the referee that it was a Boro corner.
Dominant Boro kept on coming forward, bemusing United with their pace and enthusiasm. And Yakubu set up Gaizka Mendieta with a sweet side footed pass as he waltzed pass Ferdinand. Gaizka hit the ball with precision for our fourth and his second. It was no more than Boro or United deserved.
MIDDLESBROUGH 4 MANCHESTER UNITED 0 (Mendieta 75 mins)
In line with the new policy of substituting our captain, Jimmy was removed and in his place, on came The Lizard. George Boateng became our fifth captain in two matches but hey, if it ain't broke...
United were broken though, torn apart by Gaizka Mendieta's Middlesbrough who had looked like European champions today. The Charlton and Sunderland games seem a long way off now after what was probably the best Boro performance in recent history.
INTO THE RED ZONE
It was a game that you didn't want to end and one that is bound to be talked about for a long time on Teesside. Steve McClaren has finally found a system that works and a way of getting the best out of his special players.
Gaizka was taken off with a few minutes left to play after a putting in a performance worthy of any twenty-eight million pound player. Rio was quietly withdrawn at the same time, as Malcolm Glazer studied his asset depreciation figures.
This was Boro at their best, dominant in every department and on top and on the attack from beginning to end. This is the kind of display that will fill the stadium every week. The economics are as simple as that. It will also put another pot in the trophy cabinet.
United got a consolation deep into injury time as Boro relaxed and let Ronaldo through to score with virtually the last kick of the game. It was the only lapse of concentration in the demolition of a team who were clear favourites coming into the game. It was a warning to the rest of the league. And to Europe.
MIDDLESBROUGH 4 MANCHESTER UNITED 1 (Ronaldo 90 mins)
Bravo Middlesbrough. We played Manchester United off the park.
SECOND HALF FAN REACTION
"Best performance for a long time that. It's going to be a god night."
Dave_Boro
Final Whistle; 1913 - Report Online; 1918
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