ATCH PACK: Manchester United
Middlesbrough 15th with 34 points v Manchester United top with 76
Kick-off 1.30pm
THIS is the 100th league meeting between these two. Boro have won 29 and Manchester United have won 49, with 21 drawn. Boro are also looking for their 100th home win in the Premier League.
In Cristiano Ronaldo, United have the leading scorer in the Premier League. The Portuguese superstar has scored 36 times this season, 26 in the league.
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Cristiano Ronaldo - Photo-PA Photos
Head to head
United are unbeaten in 11 games - Boro have won one in six.
United have won 10 of their last 12 - Boro have lost three of their last six.
United haven't conceded since February 23 against Newcastle, seven hours 41 minutes ago - Boro have only scored more than one once in their last 16, two goals coming in a 3-2 defeat at Anfield.
United have scored more in the last 10 minutes of games than anyone else, with 16 - Boro have scored more in the first half of games than most, 18.
United, who have taken the lead in an unparalleled 26 games this season, will win the Premier League for the 10th time if they win their next four games.
If starting
Gary Neville would be making his 350th start for United.
Injuries and suspensions
Boro will be without Mido, who would be suspended for this game anyway but is out for most of the season after undergoing a hernia operation. Robert Huth also misses the game with a foot problem, but he could return to training on Monday.
Nemanja Vidic - Photo-PA Photos
United are without Nemanja Vidic, pictured above, who damaged a knee during Tuesday's Champions League win away to Roma. Neville, pictured below, is in the first team squad for the first time in over a year. His last appearance came in a 4-1 win over Bolton on March 17 last year.
Gary Neville - Photo-PA Photos
Darren Fletcher is a long term casualty with a knee injury and Louis Saha is a major doubt with a hamstring problem.
Last time we met
Manchester United 4 Middlesbrough 1
Goals: Aliadiere (6), Rooney (33), Tevez (55), (85).
It proved to be an historic game earlier in the season at Old Trafford. It was the first time Boro had lost four in a row in the Premier League for 200 games and the first time Manchester United has scored four in a game in four successive matches for 100 years.
Manchester United: Van der Sar (Capt from 73); Brown, Ferdinand (Capt), (Pique 73), Vidic, O'Shea, Ronaldo, Anderson (Giggs 78), Hargreaves (Fletcher 66), Nani, Rooney, Tevez. Unused subs: Kuszczak (gk); Simpson.
Middlesbrough: Schwarzer; Young, Woodgate (Capt), Wheater, Taylor, O'Neil, Cattermole (Boateng 90+2), Rochemback, Downing, Aliadiere (Hutchinson, 55), Tuncay (Lee 80). Unused subs: Turnbull (gk); Hines.
Referee: Alan Wiley, Burntwood, Staffordshire.
Bookings
Manchester United: None
Boro: Cattermole, Rochemback
Attendance: 75,720
Conditions: Muggy and overcast, occasional drizzle
Website Boro Man of the Match: David Wheater
Referee: Mike Riley, Leeds.
Mike Riley - Photo-PA Photos
This is the first visit to the Riverside since New Year's Day, when Boro lost 2-0 against Everton, for Mr Riley. His only other Boro fixture this season was the reverse fixture at Goodison Park when Everton also won 2-0.
This is just the second Manchester United game for the Leeds official, who was in charge at Old Trafford when the home side beat Wigan 4-0 in early October.
In 34 games this season, Mr Riley has shown 112 yellow and six red cards.
Mr Riley was, of course, the man in the middle when Boro won the Carling Cup final in 2004.
Weather
Light rain is forecast
Heavy showers with a maximum temperature of five and a minimum of three degrees is forecast.
Tickets
There are a limited number of tickets still available for the game. There were only 800 single seats (not sitting together) remaining at 3pm this afternoon. Click here to go to the online ticket office.
Full coverage of the game will be available on Boro World. Right now on Boro World, exclusive interviews with Gareth Southgate, David Wheater, Mark Schwarzer and Stewart Downing, as well as the latest Boro TV News bulletin.











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