Saturday 31 December 2016 14:47, UK
Manchester United are looking for their fifth Premier League win in a row when they face Middlesbrough on New Year's Eve.
Jose Mourinho's longest Premier League winning streak at Manchester United came in his first four games in charge, but his side could break that record by beating Boro on Saturday afternoon.
United are unbeaten in the league since their heavy 4-0 defeat against Chelsea on October 23. They have also kept a clean sheet in their final league game of 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 and will be confident of continuing that run.
However, Manchester United will be without Wayne Rooney who has been ruled out with a thigh injury.
The injury ruled Rooney out against Sunderland on Boxing Day and while there is no definitive timescale on his return, Mourinho confirmed he will be missing against Middlesbrough.
Meanwhile, Aitor Karanka's side have lost three of their last four Premier League games and are four points off the relegation zone in 15th place.
Manchester United boss Mourinho hired Karanka as his assistant at Real Madrid in 2010 and they spent three years together.
"I spent three amazing years with him at Madrid," Karanka said in his pre-match press conference on Thursday.
"It will be nice to see him. At the end of the game, we will share a glass of wine or beer or coke. This is one of the fixtures I was looking forward to most. I have a lot to thank Jose Mourinho for."
England international Luke Shaw (groin) is back in training, though Mourinho does not yet consider him fit enough to start games again.
Middlesbrough defender Antonio Barragan will sit out Saturday's Premier League trip to Manchester United through suspension.
Barragan collected his fifth booking of the season at Burnley on Boxing Day and must serve a one-match ban, and midfielders Marten de Roon and Adam Clayton will suffer the same fate if they receive yellow cards at Old Trafford in the final game before the disciplinary deadline.
Head coach Karanka otherwise has no fresh selection problems with only winger Viktor Fischer (knee) missing through injury.
Manchester United are unbeaten in seven Premier League matches against Boro (W4 D3), last losing to them 4-1 in October 2005.
Middlesbrough's last visit to Old Trafford was in the League Cup last season, beating United on penalties 3-1 after a 0-0 draw.
Rooney has scored twice and assisted three goals in his last four Premier League games against Middlesbrough, but the most recent of these came in May 2009.
Manchester United kept a clean sheet in their final league game of 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.
The Red Devils have won their last four Premier League games, last achieving a run of five in April 2015 when they won six in a row.
Middlesbrough have now won only one of their last 22 away Premier League games (D6 L15), failing to score in 12 of those games.
After six Premier League games without having a hand in a single goal, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been involved in 10 goals in his last seven games (eight goals, two assists).
Paul Pogba looks a player, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been different class, and Jose Mourinho has found what he wanted with this team. I don't see anything except a United win, they're on a roll and I see that continuing.
You'd say Chelsea have guaranteed top four already, but the others - there's five teams for three places. United are on a run, Spurs are back to their best, Arsenal scraping wins - United definitely aren't out of it.
Though I do see United or Spurs winning the Europa League, which would also secure a Champions League spot, as they are the two strongest sides in the competition with Shakhtar behind them, so they both have that last resort.
PAUL PREDICTS: 3-0 (11/2 with Sky Bet)
Resurgent Manchester United are 2/7 to continue their recent good form with another three points when Middlesbrough visit Old Trafford on New Year's Eve. Boro are right out at 11/1 to take the points, with a draw available at 4/1. United are 11/4 to win by exactly two goals, and 2/1 to win by three or more. It's 4/5 that United win to nil.
Ibrahimovic is a clear 11/4 favourite in the first goalscorer betting, followed by Marcus Rashford at 7/2, while 10/1 shot Alvaro Negredo is deemed the biggest threat to the home side.
