Middlesbrough 1-3 Manchester United: Three things we learnt

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Manager-less Middlesbrough show signs of improvement

Prior to kick-off against Manchester United on Sunday, Middlesbrough had managed exactly half (52) of their opponents attempted shots on targets this season, a relegation-worthy number.

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Add to this the fact that Boro had the fewest number of wins in the Premier League this season with four victories, nobody would have expected them to give the visitors much of a challenge.

Yet for the opening 15 minutes, the hosts were arguably the more potent threat in front of goal, with Gaston Ramirez forcing David de Gea into a smart save just after Alvaro Negredo had headed over the top from a decent position, and it showed signs of promise after Aitor Karanka’s sudden exit.

Middlesbrough seemed more adventurous than in previous weeks, creating narrow openings with frequency even if there was no end product, and against more fragile defences they could really pose a problem in the final third with the aerial threat of Negredo and Rudy Gestede and trickery and guile of Ramirez.

Combine this with the pace of Adama Traore – who will almost certainly start next game after a good cameo – and Boro do have the components to attack, they just need to put them together.

Although the result did nothing to aid Middlesbrough in their battle to avoid relegation, the spirit showed in the side gives hope of a late-season revival ahead of matches with Swansea and Hull City.