In terms of Middlesbrough wins, Bryan Robson remains on 99 not out and desperately in need of a scrambled single. The 90s have been very nervy for him, and the danger remains that he will be stumped before he gets his century.
Such are the lack of expectations placed upon visitors to Old Trafford these days that Robson actually left his alma mater with no points but no new damage to his buffeted reputation.
The suffocating reality, however, is that this was their sixth consecutive defeat of a season that has still to bring them a clean sheet. While United's corporate clients nibble on their prawn sandwiches, Middlesbrough's rank-and-file supporters must be choking on their pork scratchings.
But when Christian Karembeu strutted into the United penalty area to lob Middlesbrough into a jaw-dropping first-half lead the last team to win a league match at Old Trafford were suddenly embraced by a giddy sense of deja vu.
Alas, while the Frenchman's finish was exquisite, the timing could have been better, much better. United had the best part of an hour to work on their opponents before finally pummelling them into submission.
Nicky Butt's close-range finish made amends for being dispossessed in the build-up to Karembeu's goal and, as is so often the case at Old Trafford, there was an air of inevitability about the leftfoot shot that Sheringham expertly angled into the top corner of Mark Schwarzer's goal three minutes later.
"There is no better side than United at chasing a game from being behind," volunteered Robson. "Other teams can look vulnerable at the back, but never United."
So business as normal for the champions, although the lack of space in their treatment room will be disconcerting for Alex Ferguson ahead of Saturday's Manchester derby. Wes Brown will have a scan today on the knee problem that forced his withdrawal from England's game in Italy while Roy Keane is out of Republic of Ireland's friendly with Finland because of a tight hamstring and Ole Gunnar Solksjaer limped off after 40 minutes with an ankle injury.
With Andy Cole undergoing an Achilles operation tomorrow, plus Jaap Stam and Ryan Giggs already sidelined, United's vast pool of resources is looking unusually stretched ahead of the short trip to Maine Road.
MANCHESTER UNITED: Barthez, P Neville, Silvestre, Brown (Wallwork 46), G Neville, Beckham, Scholes, Keane, Butt, Yorke (Chadwick 90), Solskjaer (Sheringham 40). Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, Irwin. Goals: Butt 62, Sheringham 65.
MIDDLESBROUGH: Schwarzer, Fleming, Vickers, Pallister, Karembeu, Cooper (Gordon 45), Stamp, Summerbell, Ricard (Marinelli 78), Campbell (Boksic 63), Deane. Subs Not Used: Crossley, Festa. Goal: Karembeu 32.
Referee: P Durkin (Dorset).