Manchester United vs. Middlesbrough: Winners and Losers from Capital One Cup
Middlesbrough booked their tickets for the Capital One Cup quarter-final stage after beating Manchester United at Old Trafford on penalties on Wednesday night.
A drab 0-0 scoreline over the course of 120 minutes forced the shootout to decide matters, and Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick and Ashley Young all missed as Boro emerged 3-1 victors.
Here, B/R picks its winners and losers from the game.
Winner: Marouane Fellaini, Manchester United
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Marouane Fellaini lands in the winners' column after a good performance, but it's important to qualify that statement. He was the best of a bad bunch; better than he usually is, so therefore good in relative terms.
The Belgian was pretty much Manchester United's only attacking threat for 85 minutes and came closest to opening the scoring just before half-time when he saw a shot blocked by George Friend.
His use of the ball was good, and he caused some issues in the box as usual.
Loser: Memphis Depay, Manchester United
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It's just not happening for Memphis Depay at the moment; he's really struggling to put his best foot forward in matches, perhaps wilting under the pressure of the No. 7 shirt and the accompanying £25 million price tag.
He consistently shot from distance on Wednesday evening, peppering Tomas Mejias' goal with efforts from between 20-30 yards. Unfortunately, all were straight down the 'keeper's throat. He also gave the ball away under no pressure in midfield several times, helping Middlesbrough create chances on the counter.
The worrying patch of poor form drags on.
Winner: George Friend, Middlesbrough
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George Friend won't fly under the radar too much longer if he continues to play like this. He has a habit of stepping up in the big games, likely impressing any floating voters and scouts present.
The left-back put in an all-action display on Wednesday and was a good shout for Man of the Match, cancelling out Matteo Darmian well in the one-on-one flank battle and defending the switch balls to his side well.
Moving forward he set up a goal that was disallowed and missed a good chance from a corner in the first half.
Loser: Wayne Rooney, Manchester United
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United manager Louis van Gaal was a consideration for the losers' column here after tinkering too heavily with the XI and introducing too many youngsters, leading to stodgy play, but Wayne Rooney's penalty miss tips him over the edge.
Unless you've been living under a rock for the last three months, you'll know the Manchester United and England captain is struggling to find form. In much the same way Eden Hazard's penalty miss on Tuesday summed up his difficult season, Rooney's miss accurately summed up his disastrous own.
Initially when he came on, the movement in the final third improved, but in extra-time he dropped further back into midfield and played poorly.
Van Gaal has stood by his captain through thick and thin, but it's surely time to see what Anthony Martial can do from a central position from the start. He impressed off the bench here, and fans will surely, and rightly, call once again for Rooney to be dropped.
Winner: Daniel Ayala, Middlesbrough
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"Not sure if Middlesbrough are playing with Daniel Ayala or Roberto Ayala tonight. Whomever it is, he has been fantastic," freelance writer Jonas Giaever mused on Twitter during the match. It's a tongue-in-cheek comment, but it serves to outline just how well Daniel Ayala played in defence for Boro on Wednesday night.
He did appear to handball in the box late in extra-time, but don't let that dampen what was a stunning individual showing. His long-range passing was superb, his block-tackling definitive and his aerial presence unbeatable.
Even when Anthony Martial came on and twisted his way between the lines, Ayala stopped him. Even some of the Premier League's best haven't managed that.
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