Middlesbrough faced Manchester United after an unusually speculative week for both clubs. Boro parted ways with head coach Aitor Karanka on Wednesday after a string of unsatisfactory performances and their descent into the bottom three, while United boss Jose Mourinho stated that his side would "probably lose" after a busy week that saw them play in three competitions.
Assistant manager Steve Agnew stepped up in Karanka's wake and fielded a relatively standard Boro team, set up to defend with Alvaro Negredo alone up front. The 3-1 scoreline belies some bright flashes and positivity from Boro, plus a United side who looked shaky at the back for much of the second half.