• Date: Sat 27 October 2007
  • Venue: Old Trafford
  • Ref: Wiley, A
  • Attendance: 75,720
Manchester United

Manchester United

Nani (3)

Rooney (33)

Tevez (55)

Tevez (85)

4 - 1
Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough

Aliadiere (6)

Manchester United vs Middlesbrough

Team Lineups

Manchester United

Edwin van der Sar
Wes Brown
Rio Ferdinand (Gerard Pique, 73)
John O'Shea
Nemanja Vidic
Luis Carlos Nani
Cristiano Ronaldo
Luis de Abreu Anderson (Ryan Giggs, 78)
Owen Hargreaves (Darren Fletcher, 66)
Carlos Tevez
Wayne Rooney

Middlesbrough

Mark Schwarzer
Andrew Taylor
Jonathan Woodgate
Luke Young, L
David Wheater
Fabio Rochemback
Lee Cattermole (George Boateng, 90)
Stewart Downing
Gary O'Neil
Sanli Tuncay (Dong-Gook Lee, 80)
Jeremie Aliadiere (Ben Hutchinson, B, 56)


Live Text Commentary
Full time
 

The whistle goes and United get all 3 points in a comfortable second half, Boro will be very disapointed with this result, especially as they played so well in the first half.

90
Substitution
 

George Boateng comes on to replace Lee Cattermole.

90

Nani skips past Young but cant put in a cross to match the skill, and Boro clear.

90

Three minutes will be added on, though Boro fans wish it was much less.

87

This game is certainly over now, and Boro, who usually give United a run for their money, fail to do so this time around.

85
Goal
 

Tevez scores! Rooney did all the hard work as it was his great run with the ball and pass that put Tevez through, Tevez's strike then bounces off Schwarzer and bounces in.

82

Downing has a great effort from a long range free-kick, Van Der Sar was scrambling to get to it, but luckily for him the ball went just wide.

80
Substitution
 

Sanli Tuncay is replaced by Dong-Gook Lee.

77
Substitution
 

Luis de Abreu Anderson gets a great round of applause as he comes off to be replaced by the Welsh winger Ryan Giggs.

77

Ryan Giggs looks set to be United's third and final sub, a sight that Boro fans wont be too pleased about.

74
Yellow Card
 

Lee Cattermole is booked for a two-footed foul on Nani.

73
Substitution
 

Gerard Pique comes on to replace Rio Ferdinand, though the United defender didn't look to happy about it, however, Ferguson has a word with him and all seems well.

72

The game has gone into a temporary lull, but United do look dangerous every time they go forward, which is certainly worrying for Southgate.

69

The ball flashes across the Boro box, and with United players closing in, David Wheater is forced to clear the ball over the bar and off for a corner.

66
Substitution
 

Darren Fletcher comes on to replace Owen Hargreaves.

63

Hargreaves wins a free-kick after Rochemback is adjudged to have fouled him, but the incident took place on the edge of the United box, and could have been interesting if the foul wouldn't have been given.

60

Ronaldo has a shot, but it's blocked by Rochemback, and United are starting to dominate this game now, much to the delight of the home fans.

57

Boro have lost one of their main players and are now 3-1 down, away fans wouldn't be blamed if their heads started to drop.

56
Substitution
 

Jeremie Aliadiere comes off with what seems a hamsrting injury, and is replaced by Ben Hutchinson.

55
Goal
 

Tevez scores! Great build-up play from united and Rooney, who was in the middle of it, supplies Tevez, who dispatches the ball into the Boro net.

52

Lee Cattermole has a great long range effort, and Van Der Sar makes a good save to tip the ball over the bar.

50

David Wheater defends well against Rooney, who linked up well with Tevez in that attack, and the ball is cleared from danger.

48

Boro enjoy the early possession, but apart from a corner, the away side cant materalise any chances of note.

Second half
 

The second half gets underway, and will this half begin in the exciting fashion in which the first did?

Half time
 

The whistle goes, and a defensive error gives United a 2-1 lead going into the break.

45

Boro are playing a dangerous game at the back, but decent goal-keeping by Mark Schwarzer means Ronaldo cant get his shot on.

45

There will be three minutes of half time.

43

Ferguson is out on the touchline looking intently on the action, but it seems his side will go into the break with the lead.

41

Half-time is approaching, and Boro know that another United goal before the break would most likely end this game.

39

Nani is slightly theatrical after Fabio Rochemback uses his hand to block off the United player, his hand seemed to make contact with his face, but it wasn't deserving of Nani's reaction.

37

Sir Alex Ferguson will know that his side have been let off after that second goal, the United manager was barking out orders after the goal there and he knows this game isn't over.

35

Ronaldo should have made it 3-1, but Mark Schwarzer makes a great save to deny him, and United are right on top now.

33
Goal
 

Wayne Rooney fires home after Stewart Downing tries to turn in his own box and loses out to Nani, and Boro have given away their lead there.

30

Owen Hargreaves may be showing signs of match fitness as he easily loses the ball in the middle, but Boro have certainly matched United in every department so far.

28

Ronaldo hits a great shot across the goal and it goes inches wide, and considering the angle he shot from, it was a very good shot, and United went very close to regaining the lead there.

25

Boro, after United's very good start, have done well to get back in this game, and this will be very encouraging for Southgate.

23

Stewart Downing finds himself at the back post, and his header goes just wide of the post, and Downing will be thinking he should have done better there.

20

There appears to be a good battle between Vidic and Jeremie Aliadiere, and whoever wins this exchange could well help their team win the game.

17

Boro have the first corner of the game, but Downing's ball in is easily punched out by Van Der Sar and out to saftey.

14

The free-kicks amounts to nothing as Rooney produces an off target effort.

13

Andrew Taylor is caught in possession on the edge of the Boro box, he fouls Brown, and United have a free-kick in a dangerous position.

10

Jeremie Aliadiere doesn't seem to be moving all that freely at the moment, and manager Southgate is looking very anxious.

8

Boro, who have a history home and away against United of upsetting the odds, are currently making the home fans very nervous once again..

6
Goal
 

Jeremie Aliadiere heads home to bring Boro back into this game, it originated from a John O'Shea mistake, and Tuncay Sunil crossed to set up the goal, and what a start to this game!

5

Ronaldo supplies a great ball to Tevez, but he'll be disapointed with his effort, but Fabio Rochemback defender well and put off the United striker.

3
Goal
 

Luis Carlos Nani scores yet another wonder goal! He turned onto his right after passing Gary O'Neil, and Nani unleashes a great shot to put United ahead very early on.

Kickoff
 

Alan Wiley is the referee today and Boro have a big job to stop a rampant United, but if there is one team that can do it, it is Boro, who have only lost here once in their last six League encounters.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Jeremie Aliadiere returns from his hamstring injury and starts, however, Robert Huth is still sidelined as Boro start with: Schwarzer, Young, Woodgate, Wheater, Taylor, O'Neil, Cattermole, Rochemback, Downing, Aliadiere, Sanli

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Owen Hargreaves returns to the side after a lengthy knee injury while Rooney and Tevez remain together upfront as United kick-off with: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, O'Shea, Ronaldo, Hargreaves, Anderson, Nani, Rooney, Tevez