Man United win as Valdes error compounds Middlesbrough woes

“Justice for Karanka is the work he did here”, Mourinho told a post-match news conference.

The Red Devils raced into a comfortable two-goal lead with a little over an hour on the clock, but Rudy Gestede pulled one back for the hosts to set up a tense finale.

Manchester United’s Antonio Valencia walks in the third goal in United’s 3-1 win, after an error caught Middlesbrough goalkeeper Víctor Valdes out of the area.

United now go two points above sixth place Arsenal and will have two games in hand on fourth placed Liverpool by close of play on Sunday. The worldwide break comes at the ideal time as several players for United look extremely worn out after this period of busy fixtures.

Middlesbrough Team Playing 11: Valdes, Barragan, Bernardo, Gibson, Da Silva, de Roon, Clayton, Leadbitter, Downing, Negredo, Ramirez.

The former United keeper was called upon again 15 minutes later, with a double save from point blank range. But the team was solid, compact and was very unsafe, especially in the first half before the goal. The rebound falls to Valencia whose shot from a tight angle is palmed away to safety by the former United no 1. Ashley Young played against Rostov and at Stamford Bridge. Awful defending from Boro.

United were beginning to cause real problems for the home defence and Fellaini took full advantage when the next chance came his way. Gestede gives Boro a lifeline!

Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7.

90’+3 GOAL! Oh my, Victor Valdes.

Marouane Fellaini’s strike ended his run of 30 Premier League appearances without a goal.

You won’t see too many better goals this weekend than the one scored by Jesse Lingard against Middlesbrough.

United continued to allow the home side large shares of possession after the break, as they had in the first half, counter-attacking with pace.

After losing successive Premier League games against promoted sides in December 2015 (vs Bournemouth and Norwich), Man Utd are unbeaten in their last seven (W5 D2), keeping five clean sheets.