Manager-less Middlesbrough host Manchester United looking to take advantage of their recent drop in form.
Middlesbrough host Manchester United this Sunday lunchtime in a fixture that is crucial at both ends of the Premier League table.
The hosts are in terrible form right now as they’re win-less in ten straight Premier Leauge games which caused them to fall in the 19th place. Club’s officials had no choice, but to sack Aitor Karanka who has been in charge for the past three and a half years.
Middlesbrough have scored only 19 goals in 27 games which is just 0.7% goals per game and they are convincingly the most inefficient team in the league.
The Red Devil’s have progressed in the Europa League quarterfinal, but it was harder than expected for Mourinho’s side.
Looking back to couple of the last games, it is fair to say that their momentum has stalled since beating Southampton in the final of the EFL Cup.
Premier League draw against 10-men Bournemouth, draw in Russia in the first leg of the Europa League, 1-0 defeat against Chelsea in the FA Cup and minimum victory over team that’s not in the first seven teams in the Russian championship is certainly not something Manchester’s fans were hoping to before the start of the season.
Middlesbrough are winless in their last 12 meetings with Man Utd in all competitions, while The Red Devils have scored in each of their last 14 away league games against them.
Match Facts
- United have won four of their last six Premier League trips to the Riverside (D1 L1).
- 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.
- Manchester United’s next win will be their 600th in the Premier League, becoming the first side to reach that landmark.
- Middlesbrough’s next loss in the Premier League will be their 1000th defeat in the English top-flight and they would become the 14th team to do so.
- This game will see the team who averages the fewest shots on target (Middlesbrough – 2.4 per game) face the team who attempts the most per game (Manchester United – 6.3 per game).
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Team streaks
Team News 
Manager in charge, Steve Agnew, can’t count on Chambers and Baptiste.
Team News 
Ibrahimovic and Herrera are definitely out due to suspensions, while Pogba suffered a hamstring injury against Rostov and Mourinho won’t risk with him. On the bright side, Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial are back, but will probably start from the bench.
Middlesbrough: Valdes; Barragan, Bernardo, Gibson, Fabio; De Roon, Leadbitter, Clayton; Traore, Negredo, Ramirez.
Manchester United: De Gea; Valencia, Bailly, Smalling, Shaw; Carrick, Fellaini; Mkhitaryan, Mata, Lingard; Rashford.
Date: 19 March 2017
Time: 13:00 CET
Venue: Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough, England
Referee: Jonathan Moss
