TEAM NEWS
Manchester United's Wayne Rooney may again be absent due to the thigh injury which ruled him out of the Boxing Day win over Sunderland.
Luke Shaw is the only other first-team player on the injury list, but manager Jose Mourinho says he is "not far" from a return.
Middlesbrough defender Antonio Barragan is suspended after he received his fifth booking of the season.
Winger Viktor Fischer is missing because of a knee injury.
MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES
Steve Bower: "The calendar year has certainly had its highs and lows for Manchester United, but 2016 is drawing to a close with real momentum.
"Jose Mourinho's side look to be in the groove as they aim for their fifth league win in a row. If they can maintain their recent consistency and performance levels into 2017 then a Champions League charge could be within reach.
"Plotting to upset the odds is Mourinho's former assistant Aitor Karanka, who meets his mentor as a manager for the first time.
"He can be satisfied with Middlesbrough's season so far and will see any kind of result at Old Trafford as a welcome new year bonus."
WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho: "The team spirit I see is just fantastic.
"It is getting better every single day and I think that is showing in the way we are playing, because some of the football we have produced in recent weeks has been very good."
Middlesbrough head coach Aitor Karanka: "Manchester United are playing well, they are organised and they have amazing players.
"But they are not just one or two or three [players]. They have a lot of good players, but above everything is the team."
LAWRO'S PREDICTION
Middlesbrough will not change their defensive game-plan at Old Trafford but Manchester United are probably the most improved team in the Premier League in the past few weeks.
Boss Jose Mourinho has found a system that works and, no matter what Boro do, I think they will find a way through.
Prediction: 2-0
Lawro's full predictions v hip hop duo Run The Jewels [2]
- Think you can do better than Lawro? Predict the score for this match and the rest of this round's Premier League fixtures in our Predictor game.[3]
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- Manchester United are unbeaten in the last seven league meetings (W4, D3). Their last defeat was a 4-1 loss at the Riverside in October 2005.
- However, United were knocked out of the League Cup at Old Trafford in the most recent encounter in October last season. Boro triumphed 3-1 on penalties after a 0-0 draw.
- Middlesbrough's last league win at Old Trafford came in February 2004.
Manchester United
- Manchester United could win five league matches in the same month for the first time since December 2012.
- They are unbeaten in nine league games, and in their last seven at Old Trafford (W3, D4).
- United kept a clean sheet in their final league game of 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been involved in 14 Premier League goals this season (12 goals, two assists) - eight more than any other Manchester United player.
Middlesbrough
- Middlesbrough have lost three of their last four league matches.
- They have enjoyed just one win in their last 22 Premier League away games (D6, L15).
- Boro haven't lost their final league game of a calendar year since 2009 (W4, D2).
- Only Hull, with 14 goals, have scored fewer than Middlesbrough's tally of 16 this season.
| SAM's verdict | |
|---|---|
| Most probable score: 1-0 | Probability of draw: 31% |
| Probability of home win: 54% | Probability of away win: 15% |
SAM (Sports Analytics Machine) is a super-computer created by @ProfIanMcHale at the University of Salford that is used to predict the outcome of football matches.
References
- ^ Twitter: @SteveBowerComm (twitter.com)
- ^ Lawro's full predictions v hip hop duo Run The Jewels (www.bbc.co.uk)
- ^ Predictor game. (www.bbc.co.uk)
