Reds look to string quartet together

MANCHESTER UNITED may be on the brink of smashing a 100-year-old scoring record — but Cristiano Ronaldo does not care whether they get another four against Middlesbrough today, just so long as they win.

Having smashed a combined tally of 12 goals past Wigan, Aston Villa and Dynamo Kiev in the last three games, United know another quartet against Gareth Southgate’s strugglers at Old Trafford will see them emulate the feat of Billy Meredith’s side during the 1907-08 campaign by netting four in four consecutive games.

Such an extraordinary long wait, for a club of United’s free-scoring potential, emphasises just how impressive an achievement it would be. But for Ronaldo, who has contributed four to the total with doubles against Wigan and Kiev, the statistic is irrelevant in the continued pursuit of honours.