English FA Premiership/Manchester Utd - 0 Middlesbro - 0: Steve McClaren must hope this is an indication of the way his week is headed. The Middlesbrough manager is waiting on a phone call from the English FA to confirm he is their preferred choice to succeed Sven-Goran Eriksson and, with a point gleaned by his makeshift side at Old Trafford, his stock continues to rise.
Boro's first half threat gave way to second-half defiance last night, their young goalkeeper Brad Jones thwarting Ruud van Nistelrooy from the penalty spot and the likes of Stewart Downing and Massimo Maccarone only denied at the other end by Edwin van der Sar's agility.
That Boro's emphasis was clearly on next week's trip to Eindhoven was understandable, with nine changes from the team that succumbed to Everton at the weekend. Yet if the reshuffle contributed to the sense of anticlimax which accompanied the occasion, the Teessiders should still have led by the interval.
The hosts initially laboured, the absence of Wayne Rooney keenly felt, with the sloppy air-kicks mustered by van Nistelrooy from a pair of Gary Neville centres and a cross from Ji-Sung Park a reflection of how far off the pace they were.
Boro's industry was typified by Lee Cattermole's energy at the base of their midfield quintet, with George Boateng and Fabio Rochemback prompting at his side. The Brazilian slipped Maccarone through early on, the Italian holding off Rio Ferdinand before cutting back inside and seeing a low shot deflected behind off the centre-half's lunge. Van der Sar then had to react smartly to turn aside a skimmed shot from Rochemback before the half hour.
Ferguson had an opportunity to voice his frustrations at the break, Neville's scuttling charge down the right flank upon the restart a reflection of renewed urgency. Yet it took the introduction of the wingers Cristiano Ronaldo and Kieran Richardson to suggest this was a match that had to be won. Patrice Evra greeted his substitution with a shake of the head and a sigh of reluctant acceptance, though his display, even in an alien wide midfield role, was that of a man lost.
At least Ronaldo offered thrust on the flank to rouse the hosts, gathering possession deep inside his own half before charging forward to batter goalwards with Brad Jones pushing his attempt away. That set a more upbeat tone with Cattermole inexplicably handling Ryan Giggs' corner. Referee Chris Foy spotted the offence and awarded the penalty, only for Van Nistelrooy's shot to be blocked wonderfully by Jones diving to his right
In the evening's other Premiership match, West Ham manager Alan Pardew was left with a mounting FA Cup final headache after his side's 1-0 win at doomed West Brom. Matthew Etherington failed to make it past the warm-up with a groin problem while Dean Ashton limped off with a hamstring strain. Captain Nigel Reo-Coker struck the 41st-minute winner.
Guardian Service
MANCHESTER UTD: Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Brown, Silvestre, Park (Ronaldo 56), O'Shea, Giggs, Evra (Richardson 56), Saha (Rossi 81), van Nistelrooy. Subs Not Used: Howard, Vidic. Booked: Neville, Silvestre.
MIDDLESBROUGH: Jones, Parnaby, Riggott, Bates, Queudrue (Taylor 64), Morrison (Christie 72), Cattermole, Boateng, Rochembasck, Downing, Maccarone (Parlour 80). Subs Not Used: Wheater, Knight. Booked: Bates, Rochemback.
Referee: C Foy (Merseyside).
