Joseph Desire-Job scored 10 minutes from time to give Middlesbrough their third win in five years at Old Trafford and leave Manchester United five points behind leaders Arsenal. United had fought back from two goals down and looked the more likely winners, but Boro were always dangerous on the break and Job swept them back in front with a fine left foot shot that went in off a post.
After Juninho had scored two headed goals in the space of five first half minutes, Ruud van Nistelrooy sparked United’s fightback with a goal on the stroke of half time, before Ryan Giggs pulled them level 18 minutes after the restart.
The visitors were then grateful to Gareth Southgate for an instinctive block on the line to deny John O’Shea a certain third for Sir Alex Ferguson’s men.
Giggs was United’s greatest attacking threat and he almost put them in front early on with a deflected low shot that went wide of Mark Schwarzer’s near post.
But Boro grew in confidence after keeping United at bay and began to look the livelier side, with Franck Queudrue heading wide when well placed.
When the goal came, Queudrue was involved once again, driving in a fierce shot which Tim Howard could only turn onto the post, and Juninho was on hand to nod in the rebound.
Five minutes later, the little Brazilian scored with a much more difficult headed chance, finding the roof of the net from Stewart Downing’s whipped in cross.
United’s frustration was beginning to show, and Paul Scholes was fortunate that when he raised his hands to Doriva in the centre circle he was on the blind side of referee Paul Durkin. Had the official seen the incident, he would surely have reached for the red card.
However, the champions finally created – and took – a worthwhile chance in injury time. Giggs sent in a cross which Louis Saha chested down, and van Nistelrooy lashed the loose ball past Schwarzer from six yards.
United pushed for an equaliser after the break and Mikael Silvestre should have done better with a close range header while Quinton Fortune had a shot deflected narrowly wide.
The equaliser duly arrived through Giggs, who scrambled the ball between Schwarzer’s legs from five yards out after van Nistelrooy had helped on a long ball into the box.
O’Shea’s chance to win the game quickly followed, but he was thwarted by Southgate’s bravery, and Boro broke swiftly for Job to secure a priceless win.
Yet there was still time for United to equalise and Diego Forlan almost obliged with the very last touch, only to plant a firm header onto the Boro crossbar.
Andy Clarke
