The international break cannot come soon enough for Jose Mourinho and his Manchester United players. Less than three days after labouring to victory over Rostov in Europe, they overcame struggling Middlesbrough at the Riverside as a punishing fixture list continues to take its toll.
The three-game-a-week schedule will continue at the start of April but at least United can take a breather knowing that a top-four finish is still within their grasp.
The first Premier League goals of the season from Marouane Fellaini and Jesse Lingard, with a savage second-half strike, lifted Mourinho’s side into fifth place as they extended their unbeaten run in the league to 18 games. Antonio Valencia sealed a hard-fought win in added time when he capitalised on a slip by former United keeper Victor Valdes.
Jesse Lingard lets fly from 20 yards and sees his effort arrow into the top corner to put Manchester United 2-0 up
Jesse Lingard plays an imaginary instrument as he celebrates doubling United’s lead after 62 minutes
Marouane Fellaini heads Manchester United into the lead after 30 minutes at the Riverside on Sunday afternoon
The Belgian international celebrates scoring his first Premier League goal of the season with Jesse Lingard
Fellaini is embraced by United team-mate Antonio Valencia for giving his side the lead against Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough striker Rudy Gestede brings his side back into the game as he fires past David De Gea
Gestede sprints back to the halfway line after reducing the deficit in the final 13 minutes of the game
Both sets of players were involved in a melee following a clash between Rudy Gestede and Eric Bailly
But United had the last laugh when Antonio Valencia capitalised on Victor Valdes’ slip to score in the dying moments
The Ecuador international had the simplest of tap-ins from a few yards after Valdes’ error put him through
And the South American flyer was promptly congratulated by his team-mates after sealing United’s victory at Middlesbrough.
For Middlesbrough, on the other hand, an 11th game without a win equalled Swansea’s worst run in the Premier League this season. Substitute Rudy Gestede scored their first goal in eight-and-a-half hours to give caretaker boss Steve Agnew hope of getting something out of his first game in charge but there is a real spirit about this United side.
The noon kick-off meant that a third game in seven days started just 62 hours after the end of Thursday’s Europa League win over FC Rostov, with Mourinho muttering darkly about the ‘many enemies’ he claims are conspiring against his team and their bloated fixture list.
He made seven changes to his line-up, with Paul Pogba’s hamstring injury and Zlatan ibrahimovic’s suspension denying United of their two biggest names. The emphasis was on function rather than flair with three centre backs and Fellaini partnering Michael Carrick in midfield. Ashley Young, meanwhile, was preferred to Luke Shaw at left-wing back.
Stewart Downing returned to the Boro side following the bust-up that is said to have precipitated the sacking of manager Aitor Karanka, with Agnew taking charge of his first game.
Marcus Rashford came close to giving Manchester United an early lead when he was sent through on goal
The England international saw his effort saved by Valdes and could not hide his frustration afterwards
Middlesbrough No 1 Valdes gets down low to keep out Marcus Rashford’s low cross across goal
Rashford sees another effort saved by Valdes as his close-range shot is parried away by the Spaniard in goal
After an even start, both teams had good chances inside the opening 12 minutes. First, Marcus Rashford raced clear of Bernardo only to be denied by a fine save from Valdes, and then David De Gea produced a smart save to beat away Gaston Ramirez’s swerving effort after he had skipped inside Eric Bailly to create the space for a shot.
United should really have taken the lead in the 23rd minute when Juan Mata played a one-two with Young and whipped in an early cross to the edge of the six-yard box. Rashford met it first time but saw his attempt kept out by another fine reflex save from Valdes, who recovered in to time to get up and block Valencia’s follow-up effort with the help of a post.
But the visitors took a deserved lead on the half-hour mark and again the threat came down their left side. The lively Lingard played a reverse pass out to Young who sent Antonio Barragan the wrong way and swung an inviting cross to the back post. It evaded Valdes and found Fellaini who had dropped off Fabio sufficiently to give himself the time and space to head home. It was the big Belgian’s first Premier League goal under Mourinho, and his first since December 2015.
Boro’s response was to threaten twice in quick succession. However, on both occasions that Alvaro Negredo headed Fabio’s pass back across goal, and then Marten De Roon drilled the ball low across the six-yard box, none of their team-mates had anticipated the opportunity.
Middlesbrough midfielder Gaston Ramirez spins away from Bailly during the early exchanges on Sunday afternoon
Manchester United midfielder Fellaini challenges for the ball in the air with Middlesbrough’s Marten de Roon
Manchester United winger Ashley Young keeps track of Stewart Downing as he darts forward with the ball
Manchester United pair Phil Jones and Fellaini crowd out Middlesbrough striker Alvaro Negredo in the air
Middlesbrough midfielder Adam Clayton tangles for the ball with Manchester United star Juan Mata
Uruguay international Ramirez tussles for possession with Manchester United midfielder Mata
Manchester United defender Jones puts pressure on Middlesbrough’s Spanish striker Negredo
It was United who finished the half more purposefully, with the strong running of Rashford causing Bernardo all sorts of problems.
But Boro had enjoyed more possession and they re-emerged for the second period very much in this game. They were offered a little encouragement by Chris Smalling who fell flat on his face trying to head the ball back to De Gea, and Phil Jones who misjudged a high ball that allowed Fabio to send in a cross that was once again wasted on his team-mates.
But United struck again with a stunning second goal in the 62nd minute. Lingard’s pace had been a problem for Boro all match, and when he took possession of the ball on halfway line they were tempted to back off towards the edge of their own penalty area. Lingard advanced on goal and saw his opportunity. The shot was dispatched off his right foot with clinical precision, swerving into the top corner in a blink of an eye with Valdes rooted to the spot. Surprisingly, it was also his first league of the season.
Agnew responded by sending on Gestede and Adam Traore, bringing a defensive counter-move from Mourinho who replaced Mata with Marcos Rojo.
Manchester United striker Rashford looks to lose the attentions of Middlesbrough’s Bernardo Espinosa
Manchester United full back Antonio Valencia attempts to get a cross into the box as Fabio gets across to intercept
Middlesbrough caretaker boss Steve Agnew issues instructions prior to kick-off at the Riverside stadium
A Middlesbrough supporters holds out a shirt in tribute to Aitor Karanka, who lost his job in midweek
Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson takes his seat prior to kick-off after a difficult week at the club
Caretaker boss Steve Agnew confers with his new assistant manager Joe Jordan during the match
The Boro change worked better as Gestede pulled a goal back in the 78th minute. United thought they had cleared the danger when Jones hooked the ball away but De Roon climbed above Bailly to head down. Smalling made a hash of clearing it as the ball squirmed through his legs and Gestede was waiting to prod home his first league goal for Boro.
It made for a nervous end to the game for United, and one in which tempers boiled over after Bailly and Gestede tangled at a free-kick.
But when Downing passed back to Valdes in injury-time, the keeper’s calamitous slip left Valencia with the simple task of walking the ball into an empty net.
It has been a far from simple week for United, however, following their games against Chelsea and Rostov. At least now there is some respite.