Manchester United vs Middlesbrough live: What time does it start, what TV channel is it on and where can I watch it?
A look ahead to the Premier League fixture at Old Trafford
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Your support makes all the difference.The master meets the apprentice at Old Trafford as Aitor Karanka and his Middlesbrough team travel to face Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United.
Karanka worked under Mourinho during his ill-fated three-year spell at Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013 and still considers the Portuguese to be “a real friend”.
Both men, however, will be hoping for three points, with the hosts looking to extend their Premier League winning streak to five games after Monday’s victory over Sunderland.
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It’s a big game for…
Victor Valdes: The Middlesbrough goalkeeper is going back to Old Trafford where he failed to get much game time under Louis Van Gaal. The Spaniard will be looking to prove to his former employers that he can still do a job between the sticks.
Best stat…
100: This will be the hundredth meeting between Manchester United and Middlesbrough with the former taking 50 wins, Middlesbrough 22 and the 27 other fixtures ending in draws.
Remember when...
Gaizka Mendieta scored the fourth goal in a remarkable 4-1 drubbing of United back in 2005, co-incidentally the last time Boro have triumphed over the Manchester club.
Player to watch…
Henrikh Mkhitaryan: The fan favourite has really impressed since being given more game time by Jose Mourinho. In his first game back from injury on Boxing Day he netted that ingenious scorpion kick in the closing moments. Boro will need to keep the Armenian playmaker quiet to quell any attacks from the hosts.
Past three meetings…
Manchester United 0 Middlesbrough 0 (Middlesbrough win on penalties), EFL Cup, October 2015
Middlesbrough 0 Manchester United 2 (Giggs, Park Ji Sung), Premier League, May 2009
Manchester United 1 (Berbatov) Middlesbrough 0, EFL Cup, December 2008
Form guide…
Manchester United: DWWWWW
Middlesbrough: DWLLWL
Vital information…
KICK-OFF TIME: 15:00, Saturday 31 December 2016
TV: Highlights on Match of the Day, BBC TWO – 10pm
Odds…
Manchester United to win: 2/7
Middlesbrough: 12/1
Draw: 5/1
GOAL - Burnley 1-0 Sunderland
Gray gives Burnley the lead at Turf Moor, his second goal in two games.
GOAL - Chelsea 1-0 Stoke City
There's the breakthrough for Conte's side and it's Cahill who heads home from a corner. Chelsea on their way to going nine points clear at the top and equaling Arsenal's record of 13 straight Premier League wins.
Man Utd 0-0 Middlesbrough
Paul Pogba goes for goal with an acrobatic volley for United against Middlesbrough
GOAL - Southampton 1-0 West Brom
Shane Long gives Saints the lead, heading home Tadic's corner.
GOAL - Southampton 1-1 West Brom
Matt Phillips hits straight back for the Baggies!
Chelsea 1-0 Stoke City
Gary Cahill celebrates his opening goal for Chelsea with team-mate David Luiz
GOAL - Swansea 0-2 Bournemouth
Fraser scores from close range for the Cherries. Swansea's season just gets worse.
Chelsea in control, Swansea in trouble, United frustrated
Half-time in all the Premier League games and we've had goals at the top and bottom. Chelsea are heading nine points clear as it stands thanks to Cahill's header, Leicester are beating West Ham and Bournemouth and steaming past Swansea. Burnley lead Sunderland, Southampton are level with West Brom and, at Old Trafford, United are being held by Middlesbrough.
United might be drawing a blank against Middlesbrough but they feel they should be ahead. Zlatan Ibrahimovic had the ball in the net, poking past Victor Valdes, but he was penalised for a high foot. Mourinho might have something to say about that if United don't win this game.
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