OMEN
05-02-2006, 12:20 AM
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Ruud van Nistelrooy missed a second half penalty as Manchester United delivered another lacklustre performance in drawing 0-0 with Middlesbrough at Old Trafford.
The Holland hit-man saw his spot kick smartly saved by Brad Jones after teenage midfielder Lee Cattermole showed his inexperience by handling in the area.
United lacked a focal point without the attacking guile of the injured Wayne Rooney and, with Cristiano Ronaldo demoted to the bench, there was no spark in the hosts' first half play.
Louis Saha, partnered by the ineffectual van Nistelrooy, appealed half-heartedly for an early penalty, but George Boateng merely used his strength to win the ball.
The same could not be said of Rio Ferdinand on 19 minutes when he was readily outmuscled by Massimo Maccarone as the duo chased a superb Fabio Rochemback pass. The United defender's redemption arrived when he blocked the Boro striker's shot from close range.
Maccarone was then just off target from 25 yards and the proximity of his shot to the United goal had Edwin van der Sar barking furiously at his back-line.
Middlesbrough looked the more incisive going forward and Rochemback, who used the ball intelligently, forced van der Sar into saving his daisy-cutter at full stretch.
From the resulting corner, Chris Riggott headed Stewart Downing's delivery downwards and over the bar after easily outjumping his marker.
The visitors were then similarly slack in defence as Gary Neville brought down a poor Patrice Evra cross and thrashed the ball across the face of goal, only for no United player to apply a decisive touch.
Park Ji-sung, who had volleyed over under pressure earlier in the half, then summed up the frustrating nature of the home side's first half display, when he cut menacingly inside the box before hitting a weak shot after the ball got stuck under the Korean's feet.
The half closed with van Nistelrooy driving over from 25 yards, while Boateng's display in the Middlesbrough midfield showed exactly what United currently lack in the engine room.
Sir Alex Ferguson waited just 10 minutes before making changes in the second half, with Ronaldo and Kieran Richardson introduced for the disappointing Evra and Park.
After Neville was fortunate not to be booked for a theatrical tumble in the box, and Downing had warmed van der Sar's gloves, Ronaldo injected much-needed gusto into United's attack.
A wonderful pass down the line from Neville forced Jones out of his goal to confront Ronaldo, with the Portuguese winger unable to capitalise.
Ronaldo was much more menacing with his next touch, skipping nonchalantly past Franck Queudrue before pressing Jones into his first save of the match.
United then passed up a golden opportunity to take the lead on 65 minutes after Cattermole needlessly handled in the box. Van Nistelrooy, without the aid of a run-up, drove his penalty to Jones' right, only for the Boro keeper to make an excellent stop.
Van Nistelrooy's penalty miss galvanised United into a sustained spell of pressure, with Ronaldo lashing wide and John O'Shea unable to arc his shot inside the far post.
Rochemback was booked for a foul on Ronaldo before the Brazilian was hacked down by Neville, with the United skipper cautioned before Maccarone drilled the free kick at van der Sar.
Dutch ace van Nistelrooy tried to atone for his spot-kick gaffe with a precise cross which Richardson headed wastefully over, while Saha nudged Ryan Giggs' corner wide.
United hemmed Middlesbrough in their own half for much of the last 10 minutes, but never truly threatened a winner, and The Red Devils must now rediscover their scoring touch to hold off Liverpool for second spot.
SkySports
Ruud van Nistelrooy missed a second half penalty as Manchester United delivered another lacklustre performance in drawing 0-0 with Middlesbrough at Old Trafford.
The Holland hit-man saw his spot kick smartly saved by Brad Jones after teenage midfielder Lee Cattermole showed his inexperience by handling in the area.
United lacked a focal point without the attacking guile of the injured Wayne Rooney and, with Cristiano Ronaldo demoted to the bench, there was no spark in the hosts' first half play.
Louis Saha, partnered by the ineffectual van Nistelrooy, appealed half-heartedly for an early penalty, but George Boateng merely used his strength to win the ball.
The same could not be said of Rio Ferdinand on 19 minutes when he was readily outmuscled by Massimo Maccarone as the duo chased a superb Fabio Rochemback pass. The United defender's redemption arrived when he blocked the Boro striker's shot from close range.
Maccarone was then just off target from 25 yards and the proximity of his shot to the United goal had Edwin van der Sar barking furiously at his back-line.
Middlesbrough looked the more incisive going forward and Rochemback, who used the ball intelligently, forced van der Sar into saving his daisy-cutter at full stretch.
From the resulting corner, Chris Riggott headed Stewart Downing's delivery downwards and over the bar after easily outjumping his marker.
The visitors were then similarly slack in defence as Gary Neville brought down a poor Patrice Evra cross and thrashed the ball across the face of goal, only for no United player to apply a decisive touch.
Park Ji-sung, who had volleyed over under pressure earlier in the half, then summed up the frustrating nature of the home side's first half display, when he cut menacingly inside the box before hitting a weak shot after the ball got stuck under the Korean's feet.
The half closed with van Nistelrooy driving over from 25 yards, while Boateng's display in the Middlesbrough midfield showed exactly what United currently lack in the engine room.
Sir Alex Ferguson waited just 10 minutes before making changes in the second half, with Ronaldo and Kieran Richardson introduced for the disappointing Evra and Park.
After Neville was fortunate not to be booked for a theatrical tumble in the box, and Downing had warmed van der Sar's gloves, Ronaldo injected much-needed gusto into United's attack.
A wonderful pass down the line from Neville forced Jones out of his goal to confront Ronaldo, with the Portuguese winger unable to capitalise.
Ronaldo was much more menacing with his next touch, skipping nonchalantly past Franck Queudrue before pressing Jones into his first save of the match.
United then passed up a golden opportunity to take the lead on 65 minutes after Cattermole needlessly handled in the box. Van Nistelrooy, without the aid of a run-up, drove his penalty to Jones' right, only for the Boro keeper to make an excellent stop.
Van Nistelrooy's penalty miss galvanised United into a sustained spell of pressure, with Ronaldo lashing wide and John O'Shea unable to arc his shot inside the far post.
Rochemback was booked for a foul on Ronaldo before the Brazilian was hacked down by Neville, with the United skipper cautioned before Maccarone drilled the free kick at van der Sar.
Dutch ace van Nistelrooy tried to atone for his spot-kick gaffe with a precise cross which Richardson headed wastefully over, while Saha nudged Ryan Giggs' corner wide.
United hemmed Middlesbrough in their own half for much of the last 10 minutes, but never truly threatened a winner, and The Red Devils must now rediscover their scoring touch to hold off Liverpool for second spot.
SkySports