Middlesbrough-Manchester United: Preview

Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough lost 2-0 to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in their last match.

In their last five matches, Middlesbrough have won one, drawn one and lost three, picking up four points from the fifteen on offer. Boro are currently 19th in the league, three points from safety and equal on points with 18th placed Newcastle whilst three points clear of last placed West Brom.

Boro will be without Chris Riggott, whilst Emanuel Pogatetz is hopeful for a return.

Manchester United

Manchester United beat Tottenham Hotspur 5-2 in their last league match, the Red Devils' fourth straight win.

In their last five league matches, Man U have won four and lost one, earning twelve from fifteen points. Man U are currently first in the league, leading second placed Liverpool by three points with a match in hand.

Manchester United are likely to be without Rio Ferdinand, with the central defender picking up a rib injury during Man Utd's 1-0 Champions League win over Arsenal on Wednesday night. Man Utd are also likely to be without Gary Neville, with Owen Hargreaves still out as well.

Prediction

Manchester United beat Middlesbrough 1-0 earlier this season at Old Trafford, but last season's Middlesbrough vs Man Utd match ended in 2-2 draw.

Manchester are now on course to win the Premier League title for the third successive year after their dramatic and controversial 5-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, which has left the Red Devils three points clear of Liverpool with a match in hand.

Middlesbrough, on the other hand, are still three points from safety and face a potentially challenging home stretch with fixtures against Newcastle, Aston Villa, and West Ham still to come.

Sir Alex Ferguson may rest some key players in preparation for Tuesday night's Champions League second-leg semi final match against Arsenal, but will still likely field a strong team to ensure that there are no slip-ups against Boro on the day.

A glimmer of hope for Middlesbrough lies in the fact that they have not been beaten in their last seven home matches, and so Gareth Southgate's men may try to grind out a goalless draw against the defending champions on the day.

Furthermore, the absence of Rio Ferdinand in recent times has put Manchester United's defence in disarray, and so it will be interesting to see how Man U cope without him in this match and whether Boro could even put a surprise goal in the back of the Man Utd net.

However, all signs still point towards a Manchester United victory on the day, and they will enter this fixture as heavy favourites to win.

Read the complete preview with the best match betting guide at the Middlesbrough-Man Utd odds and preview page now!

Then read our other weekend previews: Chelsea vs Fulham, Portsmouth vs Arsenal and Liverpool vs Newcastle all at the Sports Betting Review website.