Manchester United vs Middlesbrough Predictions

• Manchester United have won five of their last seven home games, losing once.
• United have managed clean sheets in their last two home games.
• Middlesbrough have failed to score in two of their last four trips.
• United have nine clean sheets in their last 11 home FA Cup ties and haven’t conceded at home against a team outside the Premier League since the 2009/10 season in this competition.

United bid to avoid upset

Manchester United return to action on Friday with an FA Cup fourth round tie against Championship outfit Middlesbrough.

The FA Cup is probably fairly low on interim United boss Ralf Rangnick’s list of priorities but it is their only realistic chance of domestic silverware this season. As the Premier League outfit go into the game after a two-week break I’m expecting them to name close to their best available XI for the visit of Boro, and the club could do with a victory after what has been a difficult week.

United may not be in the best of form but they have been picking up results regardless and have just one defeat in their last 13 games across all competitions. Rangnick’s men have five wins in their last seven at home, with one defeat, and beat Premier League rivals Aston Villa at home in the previous round so they should be expected to overcome Boro.

The visitors arrive in good form themselves and are pushing for promotion from the second tier but they did avoid an upset in the third round after blowing a two-goal lead against Mansfield, only to grab a last-gasp winner via an own goal to set up this game at Old Trafford.t

Home win and a shut-out has a chance

Unsurprisingly, United are a short price to win this match so for a bit more value a home win to nil looks a strong option here. The Red Devils have managed back-to-back clean sheets at Old Trafford ahead of this tie and Boro have failed to score in two of their last four away games. United have also managed nine clean sheets in their last 11 home FA Cup ties and haven’t conceded at home against a team outside the Premier League in this competition since a defeat to then third-tier Leeds United in the 2009/10 campaign.

This may ultimately be a fairly comfortable evening for the Manchester outfit and a 3-0 home win has some appeal in the correct score market. After initially struggling for goals following Rangnick’s arrival, the hosts have shown a bit more quality going forward and have scored three goals twice in their last six games, while Boro shipped two against Mansfield in the last round and if United do manage to break the deadlock early on they could win by a big margin.