United slip up in race for second

Manchester United 0 Middlesbrough 0

Ruud van Nistelrooy’s missed penalty capped a disappointing night for a Manchester United side who badly missed the influence of injured star Wayne Rooney tonight.

Unlike Sven-Goran Eriksson, Sir Alex Ferguson has lost Rooney for only two games, not, as seems possible, an entire tournament.

Yet the cost could be as high as United failed miserably to get the win they needed to tie up an automatic place in next season’s Champions League group stage.

A victory on Sunday in Alan Curbishley’s last game as Charlton boss is now required to stave off the renewed threat of Liverpool, who visit Portsmouth on the final day.

But if this largely sterile affair is any guide, there is no guarantee United will collect their customary three points against the Addicks.

Although England manager-elect Steve McClaren can take yet more plaudits for gaining another decent result in a succession of mini-triumphs against his old club, as Eriksson’s assistant, there are reasons for the Boro boss to worry too.

With Sir Alex Ferguson taking the diplomatic method of ruling Rooney out of the World Cup, Eriksson must surely now abandon the optimism and set his mind to finding a way of operating without the youngster. One look at this contest would therefore be enough to bring the ice-cool Swede out in a cold sweat.

When he surveys his own striking options, Eriksson probably could not come up with two better forwards than Louis Saha and Van Nistelrooy.

Yet, partnered together, the duo did not even look like breaking down a youthful Boro defence until Lee Cattermole’s brainstorm provided Van Nistelrooy with the spot-kick opportunity he wasted.

Without the assurance of Rooney by his side, Saha looked half the player he appeared during United’s recent nine-match winning sequence.

All the fluidity had gone, as had the forcefulness in his play. As Eriksson is about to find out, it is not just Rooney’s own abilities which were lost when the fourth metatarsal of the 20-year-old’s right foot was broken at Stamford Bridge, it is capacity to inspire others as well.

In fairness, Van Nistelrooy has more reason to look sluggish, having spent so much time on the bench recently.

But the Dutchman’s first touch was poor and on a couple of occasions he was caught on his heels when crosses fizzed into the Boro box, notably when Matthew Bates failed to make contact with Park Ji-sung’s driven ball across the six-yard area.

Park was the one man exempt from criticism, save for the fact he kept spoiling the good work his industry generated by continually letting himself down at the vital moment.

With Patrice Evra mystifyingly preferred to Cristiano Ronaldo on the left wing - and doing little to justify why – all United’s attacks came down the right, with Gary Neville gamely overlapping at every opportunity.

All it brought them in the way of chances in the first-half though was a Van Nistelrooy effort which he blazed over from the edge of the area.

In contrast, Boro, supposedly distracted by next week’s UEFA Cup final and showing nine changes from the side beaten at home by Everton 48 hours earlier, looked pretty lively.

Lone front-man Massimo Maccarone used his strength to muscle his way past Rio Ferdinand and only the England defender’s powers of recovery allowed him to stick out a leg and block the Italian’s shot.

Fabio Rochemback brought by far the best save of the opening period from Edwin van der Sar, who kept out the Brazilian’s shot with an excellent low stop.

It took 10 minutes of the second half – and Ronaldo’s introduction – for United to find their spark.

The Portugal winger had already sent a couple of long-range efforts dipping wide when Cattermole inexplicably stuck up both hands to prevent Ronaldo reaching a Giggs corner.

Normally so reliable from the spot, on this occasion, Van Nistelrooy’s shooting boots failed him as Jones turned his effort away.

The miss at least provided the impetus for a sustained spell of attacking, although it brought no reward as John O’Shea flashed a shot wide, Kieran Richardson saw Jones push away his cross-shot and Van Nistelrooy bobbled the last meaningful opportunity meekly wide.