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By Caroline Cheese
2207: Night night then. See you tomorrow for Hull v Aston Villa, the final Premier League match of 2008. Sniff.
2202: Wayne Rooney gets your vote as man of the match, his hard-working performance earning him a very respectable 7.22. Emmanuel Pogatetz's attempts to rile Cristiano Ronaldo have only succeeded in upsetting our player raters as he lags behind on 5.61. You, dear users, can change all that should you so wish. Man Utd v Boro Player Rater
2200: Not a bad performance from Boro today but they remain a place above the drop zone on goal difference only. They host Sunderland in their next league game on 10 January.
2159: I make that four 1-0 wins in five league games for United. Dimitar Berbatov - for all his faults - scored today and set up the winner against Stoke on Boxing Day. Fergie's side are now seven points behind Liverpool with two games in hand. Next up in the league? Chelsea at Old Trafford.
2157: FULL-TIME Man Utd 1-0 Middlesbrough
2157: Tuncay hits the post with an acrobatic overhead kick - but he's about three yards offside.
2155: Wasteful from Stewart Downing, the winger shooting well wide from outside the box as Boro mount a late attack.
2153: Into three minutes of added time. Boro not showing much sign of a late recovery.
2152: Paul Scholes smiles as Martin Atkinson shows him a yellow card. The midfielder accidentally connected with Matthew Bates' foot as he looked to latch on to a loose ball in the area - bit unlucky that.
2150: "With Giggs coming on the three subs have a combined age of 102. Has to be a record!?" Anon via text on 81111
2147: Ryan Giggs replaces Cristiano Ronaldo, who gets a good reception from the home fans despite a fairly average night by his standards. Nice to see Fergie giving his young players a chance tonight, what with Paul Scholes and Gary Neville already on.
2145: "As a Red, I still am not sure about Berbatov. Haven't seen too many pro Berba comments tonight, even after he scored. As for Park, he is highly liked at Old Trafford for never giving up. Now if only he could shoot straight. And yes, John O'Shea is one of the luckiest footballers to play in the Prem." stellamike on 606 Join the debate on 606
2143: Corner cleared to Michael Carrick, who has time to measure a shot but measures it too high.
2139: Gareth Southgate makes his first change as �3.2m signing Marvin Emnes replaces Jeremie Aliadiere.
2138: Ji-Sung Park cuts in from the left and tries to bend it in at the far post but it's not bendy enough. And a result from the Championship: Blackpool 2-2 Wolves.
2136: United threatening a second here. Ross Turnbull manages to get his body behind a swerving Cristiano Ronaldo shot.
2134: Ronny Rosenthal! Ji-Sung Park runs on to Gary Neville's pass and from right under the bar, manages to blaze over. He is saved by the offside flag - but replays show he was on.
2131: GOAL Man Utd 1-0 Middlesbrough David Wheatercan only clear Michael Carrick's left-wing cross to Dimitar Berbatov, who lashes in from eight yards. Relief all round at Old Trafford.
2130: Ji-Sung Park again, this time driving through the midfield and unleashing a low effort which Ross Turnbull pushes behind.
2127: Wayne Rooney's free-kick from the left comes out to Ji-Sung Park, whose shot hits team-mate Nemanja Vidic.
2126: Neville and Scholes on. Rafael and Darren Fletcher off.
2124: Oh my goodness me. Matthew Bates produces a brilliant cross from the right and Tuncay gets in front of Rafael to get the header in but sees it flash millimetres wide. Let-off for United.
2124: I tell a lie. Looks like Paul Scoles and Gary Neville might be coming on. Gary Neville??!
2120: Boro work the ball quickly from right to left where Afonso Alves sidesteps Nemanja Vidic and shoots - but Vidic recovers to get the block in.
2118: United seem to have lost the momentum they had built up towards the end of the first half. It's all a bit ponderous. Looks like Ryan Giggs could be coming on...
2116: First yellow of the game and it goes to Ji-Sung Park, who brings down Julio Arca from behind.
2113: Cristiano Ronaldo takes some revenge on Emmanuel Pogatetz with a late shove. That one could boil over at any moment.
2112: Matthew Bates stops Wayne Rooney in his tracks with a crunching challenge just inside the box. Rooney stays down, holding his ankle, but eventually climbs back to his feet. Meanwhile, Wolves take the lead against Blackpool.
2109: "United need to bring back their cutting edge from last year. Too much Arsenal-style passing it around, be more direct!" Wicked_badger via text on 81111
2108: And here come Boro, Emmanuel Pogatetz having a quiet word with referee Martin Atkinson on the way out. Mad Dog is inevitably booed by the home fans and he responds by applauding the Boro support. Excellent panto stuff - now back to the football.
2105: Here come the United players, Cristiano Ronaldo bringing up the rear.
2102: Dimitar Berbatov is polarising opinion on 606 and on the texts. In my - often ridiculed - opinion, he looks as likely as anyone to unlock the Boro defence.
2057: Wayne Rooney is top of the Player Rater pops at half-time on a very respectable 7.28. No one else setting the world alight really, least of all Afonso Alves who seems to have upset a few of you for some reason as he trails on 5.14. Man Utd v Boro Player Rater
2050: Oooh, settle down fellas. As the half-time whistle blows, Cristiano Ronaldo races over to the ref to tell him he's been assaulted by our friend Emmanuel Pogatetz. Replays show 'Mad Dog' did grab the winger round the neck as they tussled on the edge of the box. Finding no solace in the referee, Ronaldo decides to take on Pogatetz as the teams head for the tunnel, prompting a bit of head-to-head combat.
2050: HALF-TIME Man Utd 0-0 Middlesbrough
2048: Long ball from United. Cristiano Ronaldo flicks on for Wayne Rooney, whose ferocious shot is well saved by Ross Turnbull. Into added time at the end of the first half.
2046: As the ball pings around the Boro box, it hits Gary O'Neill on the arm, with Michael Carrick leading the penalty appeals - but Martin Atkinson says ball to hand.
2045: Emmanuel Pogatetz, who took out Rodrigo Possebon the last time these two teams met, has a go at Cristiano Ronaldo this time. Ronaldo is made of much sterner stuff though, leaping back onto his feet... after a few rolls around the Old Trafford turf.
2044: "I've kept defending him but now I just have to say Berbatov needs to up his game now or he will have to be classed as an expensive flop." The Anderson, Rafael and Fabio Posse(bon)! on 606 Join the debate on 606
2043: Cristiano Ronaldo drives in a free-kick from the left and rather fortuitously wins a corner. The ball is briefly loose in the box but Nemanja Vidic blasts it over.
2040: Up the other end now and Jonny Evans times his challenge on Jeremie Aliadiere to perfection, conceding a corner. United struggle to clear before Darren Fletcher eventually manages it - albeit with his knee.
2039: The United fans find their voice again as they try to will the ball into the net. Wayne Rooney stays onside to collect Dimitar Berbatov's pass and from his cross, the ball eventually comes to Michael Carrick, but the midfielder wants an extra touch and Boro block. From the corner, Nemanja Vidic heads wide.
2037: "Right, who's holding Ronaldo's finish hostage? Give it back!" ManU4eva via text on 81111
2036: Ross Turnbull palms Wayne Rooney's cross straight into Rafael's path but Emmanuel Pogatetz throws himself in front of the Brazilian, who hurriedly smashes a shot into the side netting.
2033: Cristiano Ronaldo forces Ross Turnbull into another save - but he had handled in the build-up so it wouldn't have counted anyway.
2032: Boro look like they'll get their chances tonight against an unfamiliar United defence. Stewart Downing whips a shot past the post.
2026: United look certain to score. Dimitar Berbatov plays in Wayne Rooney, who squares for Cristiano Ronaldo - but the winger shoots the wrong side of the post.
2024: Chances for Boro now. Stewart Downing draws the foul from Rafael on the left. The cross comes out to Afonso Alves but the Brazilian doesn't connect all that well with the shot and Michael Carrick blocks. Moments later, Alves turns Nemanja Vidic with embarrassing ease but blasts the shot over.
2022: Cristiano Ronaldo has another free-kick from distance. This time it's deflected off the wall and into Ross Turnbull's arms.
2021: "Working behind the bar at my pub and just whacked 5live on PA as expecting a good game, let's hope those eating don't mind. I think 3-1 United. Come on you Reds." Sam the victoryred, via text on 81111
2017: Chris Riggott barges into Ji-Sung Park to concede a free-kick on the left. Cristiano Ronaldo curls a typically ambitious effort just beyond the far post.
2016: "Come on Boro, park the bus." Dan, Liverpool fan, via text on 81111
2014: Ji-Sung Park works a bit of space on the left for a shot which is deflected over. United have the better of the possession but Boro look dangerous on the break.
2011: Ji-Sung Park crosses for Cristiano Ronaldo, who tries to place his shot into the corner but gets it all wrong.
2009: United on the attack and Wayne Rooney forces Ross Turnbull into a good save down to his left, the ball bouncing right in front of the keeper. Cristiano Ronaldo picks up the ball on the byeline but Turnbull deals with the cross.
2005: Excellent pressuring from Middlesbrough in midfield and that forces Darren Fletcher into a mistake. Jeremie Aliadiere picks up the ball and drives into the area, falling under the challenge from Nemanja Vidic, but referee Martin Atkinson waves away the half-hearted penalty appeals.
2003: Good noise at Old Trafford as the game kicks off.
1959: The Old Trafford crowd get their first sight of the Club World Cup trophy tonight. Edwin van der Sar - skipper tonight - gets to lift it, then tries to hand it to Wayne Rooney and then Rafael, neither of whom want a bar of it. Van der Sar eventually gets the mascot to hold it.
1957: Right, enough erroneous stats, on with the football. The teams are on their way out at Old Trafford - and Blackpool are now level at 1-1 against Wolves.
1956: Where's Danny the Christmas Stat when you need him???! It appears my stats might be a bit out of date and Wigan are now the Premier League's most in-form team. Sorry Latics fans. So to correct that 1937 entry, tonight's game pits a team which is in quite good form against a team in quite bad form.
1951: Wolves can go nine points clear at the top of the Championship this evening and they're already one up against Blackpool thanks to Sylvan Ebanks-Blake's penalty. That update is dedicated to xPoppySwirlx on606.
1950: "Quick rumour for you - Anderson may be heading down to Arsenal on loan until the end of the season. Fergie wants to give him playing time but he's currently behind Carrick, Scholes and Fletcher (who has found an extra gear this season), with Gibson and Possebon available if needs be - both of whom are rated very highly by the backroom. Let's see what January brings." Ric, Leeds, via text on 81111
1948: "I met Tuncay in Manchester today. What a nice guy. I also wished him the best of luck, as I'm a Liverpool fan." Jonjo via text on 81111
1945: Right, I've called Fergie* and he has confirmed that Carlos Tevez has gone home to Argentina for a bit of family time.
* Not really.
1942: "Every time I think Fergie has lost the plot he proves me wrong with an awesome victory. No one will care about the omission of Tevez, Anderson and Nani come full-time. Probably..." woolster5891 on 606 Join the debate on 606
1939: "Re 1937: That's two things." Las Salchichas on 606 Yes. That is true.
1937: Here's a thing: tonight's game pits the Premier League's most in-form team against its most out-of-form team (based on the last six games) as well as the youngest manager against the oldest. I don't need to tell you which is which do I?
1935: "Pulled a sicky at work to be here tonight. Come on Boro!" Stoney the smoggy, via text on 81111
1932: Anderson and Nani don't make the United squad either. What is going on? Hold on, I'll just phone me old mate Fergie and find out...
1928: Team news in full goes like this: Man Utd make four changes with Dimitar Berbatov, Michael Carrick, Park Ji-Sung and Rafael replacing Carlos Tevez, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville. Tevez does not even make the squad. Afonso Alves replaces Mido up front for Middlesbrough while David Wheater and Matthew Bates come into the defence.
1926: "Outside Old Trafford with high spirited Boro fans. Mboro have a good record here but they are low in confidence. It's freezing!!" Simon the Red, via text on 81111
1922: TEAMS Man Utd v Middlesbrough Man Utd: Van der Sar, Rafael Da Silva, Vidic, Evans, O'Shea, Park, Fletcher, Carrick, Ronaldo, Rooney, Berbatov. Subs: Kuszczak, Neville, Giggs, Scholes, Welbeck, Gibson, Possebon. Middlesbrough: Turnbull, Bates, Riggott, Wheater, Pogatetz, Aliadiere, O'Neil, Arca, Downing, Sanli, Alves. Subs: Jones, Taylor, Emnes, Huth, Shawky, Porritt, Walker.
1919: Gareth Southgate seems to be the latest manager to fall foul of the fickle beast that is Premier League 08/09. All of a sudden, his Boro side are hovering dangerously above the drop zone. They'll be relieved they're at Old Trafford then, where they've only lost once in five visits.
1915: I don't know about you but it's only football that's getting me through the "bit between Christmas and New Year". Ooh, and Australia finally losing at cricket. That's been quite good too.
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