MANCHESTER UNITED 2, MIDDLESBROUGH 1
- Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial hit the woodwork
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic goal ruled out for high boot, he stays on 50 goals for 2016
- Grant Leadbitter scores for Middlesbrough in the 67th minute
- Anthony Martial equalises in 85th minute
- Paul Pogba wins it for United in the 86th minute
Two late goals by Anthony Martial and Paul Pogba won the match for Manchester United after Middlesbrough had taken an unexpected second half lead.
A fifth straight league win will have pleased Sir Alex Ferguson watching from the director’s box on his 75th birthday, and for many fans within Old Trafford the final ten minutes resembled a game from the glory days of the legendary former Reds manager.
The Reds had already had a good goal disallowed when Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s strike was ruled out for a high boot just before half time. The signs weren’t looking good as Boro were blocking shots and United weren’t getting clear chances despite racking up 30 shots without scoring towards the end.
With 18 minutes to go and trailing 1-0 to a 67th minute Grant Leadbitter goal, Jose Mourinho brought on Marcus Rashford, sacrificing Chris Smalling as they needed a goal and the Reds went for it.
There was no need for the Stretford End to exhort the team to “Attack Attack Attack” and despite meeting stiff resistance from the retreating visitors, the breakthrough finally came through in the 85th minute when Eric Bailly launched a long ball up to Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The Swede’s header fell nicely for Anthony Martial, one of United’s best players on the day, who found some space and slashed the ball past Victor Valdes.
It was United’s 31st shot on goal, and the relief was palpable within Old Trafford.
Their 32nd shot on goal was barely a minute later and turned out to be the winner – Juan Mata’s cross from the right finding Paul Pogba to head the ball past Valdes – their 12th shot on target in the game.
Victory meant that United consolidated sixth position in the league – a full nine points ahead of of Everton in seventh but closing to within a point of Arsenal who have a game in hand in fourth place.
Birthday present for Sir Alex Ferguson
Mourinho revealed he had wished Sir Alex a happy birthday before the game, and was happy with the outcome of the match but even happier that the Old Trafford fans got behind the team after they fell behind.
He said: “We managed to do something that is amazing. To bring the fans to the pitch. We did that in the last 15 to 20 minutes.
“The fans are loving the way we try to play football and the players attitudes. I don’t think they would kill me if we lose 2-0 and play 2v2 at the back.”
The Portuguese was relieved that Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s disallowed goal in the first half didn’t affect the result but was sad for the Swede who missed the chance to draw level with Lionel Messi on 51 goals scored in 2016 after his goal was ruled out.
Mourinho said: “It’s hard because obviously we respect the referee and they want to do well.
“Lee [Mason] will be very disappointed now for sure because now he knows. For us it was very disappointing.
“We have had one penalty in 19 matches.
“Today we have another one on Rashford. We scored a beautiful goal. we should be 1-0 at half time.
“A goal that would have left Zlatan up there with [Lionel] Messi as top scorer in Europe in 2016.
“At 0-0 we hit the post, should have scored a fantastic goal and were dominant.”
“We were losing 1-0 and played 2v2 Bailly and Rojo against Traore and Negredo and but we dominated and weren’t afraid to lose more. We played very positive football. I am really happy.”
Jose Mourinho opted for five changes in all, notably changing both centre backs, with Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo replaced by Chris Smalling and Eric Bailly.
Neither centre back could claim to be fully match fit though, with Smalling having just a minute of football, at West Brom, since October 23. Eric Bailly last played for 52 minutes on December 14 at Crystal Palace.
Michael Carrick missed out with illness, Wayne Rooney was missing due to a thigh injury.
Marouane Fellaini, Anthony Martial, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan came in for Carrick, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard.
Victor Valdes returns to Old Trafford in sparkling form
Middlesbrough, who lined up with former United goalkeeper Victor Valdes in the starting lineup and full back Fabio Da Silva on the bench, with Antonio Barragan suspended and Viktor Fischer missing because of a knee injury.
It was the visitors who had the early chance on goal when Ander Herrera’s attempted clearance was intercepted by Adama Traore who ran clear of the defence but screwed his shot wide.
Both sides had plenty of half chances but a succession of blocks and clearances ensured that there were few clear shots on goal in the first period.
United’s first clear chance of the half was a Marouane Fellaini header from Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s corner which was straight at Victor Valdes after seven minutes.
And in the 14th minute an overhead kick by Paul Pogba came back off the bar after Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s header into the six yard box.
Mkhitaryan’s shot was well saved by low to his right by Valdes after Anthony Martial’s cut back on the half hour.
The Armenian was at it again five minutes later when he skipped over two challenges but his shot from the edge of the area was wide of the back post.
And Martial’s vicious shot hit the post before Zlatan Ibrahimovic thought he had opened the scoring in the next attack in the 39th minute but the goal was ruled out for a high footed. A point illustrated as the Swede connected with Valdes immediately afterwards – the goalkeeper was pole-axed.
Boro’s goal led a charmed life early in the second half with Valdes saving Ibrahimovic’s chance after Pogba had slide him through while the Frenchman had another overhead kick go wide.
The frustration only grew as refereeing decisions continued to go against United, and Valdes continued to defy his former club with a save from Martial.
Late goals win it for United
Mourinho opted for change, with Juan Mata and Marcos Rojo replacing Daley Blind and Marouane Fellaini and at a stroke Boro struck with their first shot on target down the flank which Blind had recently vacated.
The space just opened up down United’s left flank as Calum Chambers crossed for Alvaro Negredo who was given plenty of space to knock the ball down for Grant Leadbitter who was also given plenty of space to pick his spot past David De Gea from 8 yards out.
United continued the siege on Middlesbrough’s goal, with Rashford denied by Bernardo on the line and there was to be no soft penalty after he went down under a challenge in the box.
Valdes was there to save from Martial with nine minutes to go after Herrera put him through and Mata’s shot was wide a minute later.
It was all desperate stuff until those two late strikes which changed the atmosphere at Old Trafford completely. And the Reds didn’t even need Fergie time.