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
30 mins: Chance for Liverpool! Milner plays a wonderful, lofted through ball for Firmino but the forward can't gather it and Bravio pounces on the ball. Firmino should have taken that in his stride - if he did, he was in.
31 mins: Firmino plays in Can on the edge of the area but his right-footed shot curls wide.
31 mins: This must be the worst City have played this season. They have not had a shot on target and hardly set foot inside the Liverpool area.
33 mins: Liverpool swarm all over City again as Klaven slams into De Bruyne with a tough but fair challenge.
36 mins: Great pressing, again, from Liverpool, forcing City to play it long again. Aguero is so isolated up front.
Georginio Wijnaldum heads Liverpool into the lead against Man City
40 mins: Better from City, in that they are at least seeing more of the ball and keeping it. Liverpool looking hard to break down at the moment though.
43 mins: De Bruyne charges forward and sees his shot deflected wide from the edge of the area. De Bruyne takes the corner and Liverpool clear. Better from City again, they are gradually growing into this match.
44 mins: Oh dear Roberto Firmino. The Brazilian catches Zabaleta in possession inside the City half and has the chance to set Lallana away, but he delays a second too long with the pass and Lallana is flagged offside.
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