PICTURES

WEBMASTER'S COMMENT

"Before the game you had the feeling lighting wouldn't strike in Old Trafford for Middlesbrough and it didn't. Manchester United were always in control of this cup tie and fully deserved to go through to the 4th round."

MATCH REPORT

By David Anderson, PA Sport

It was unlikely that lightning would strike twice for Middlesbrough from the clear skies above Old Trafford and so it proved. Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson's forecast that Boro would not repeat their historic win of just over two weeks ago turned out to be correct as his players were as good as his word.

United fully deserved their place in the FA Cup fourth round and the mouthwatering prospect of a home tie against arch rivals Liverpool after battering Boro for the entire match. Middlesbrough, though, briefly sniffed an upset to rival their 3-2 league win when Andy Townsend put them ahead against the run of play in the 52nd minute.

But United were determined not to suffer a bout of deja vu and they stormed to victory with goals from Andy Cole, a Denis Irwin penalty and Ryan Giggs. United have never lost a third-round tie under Ferguson and they were in no mood to start now.

The memory of that Boro win was still fresh in United's minds and they went for the Teessiders' jugular straight from the kick-off. Roy Keane was is in the thick of the action and Cole could not quite connect with his inviting cross after 50 seconds, while the United skipper had a drive blocked and blazed over off balance from another chance.

Boro were struggling to get out of their own half, but after 21 minutes they almost caught United cold when Robbie Mustoe forced a good save from Peter Schmeichel with a header from Dean Gordon's cross. Despite their territorial dominance United had yet to test Mark Schwarzer and Boro were weathering the storm quite well.

Schwarzer was quickly called into action after the interval and he produced two great saves to deny United. Cole dummied Giggs' ball into the box and Dwight Yorke played it back to his strike partner only for Schwarzer to palm away his shot at full stretch.

The Middlesbrough goalkeeper thwarted the home side again three minutes later when he rushed out to save Yorke's shot with his feet after United's record signing had been played through by Cole. Schwarzer's saves became even more significant when Boro took the lead after 52 minutes totally against the run of play.

Brian Deane flicked on Schwarzer's long kick into the path of Townsend, who came running in at the back post unmarked, and the Boro midfielder slotted the ball into the far corner past Schmeichel. United's search for an equaliser became frantic following Townsend's second goal of the season.

Cole turned and unleashed a shot from Giggs' pass, but once again Schwarzer made the save. Justice was done in the 68th minute when Giggs played Cole through on the right with a slide-rule pass and the United striker fired the ball into the top right-hand corner.

Ferguson was anxious to avoid adding a replay to United's already hectic fixture schedule and with 18 minutes remaining he brought on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and switched to a 4-3-3 formation. Paul Gascoigne, playing his first FA Cup game since he was stretchered off in the 1991 Final, was quite anonymous for Boro and he was duly replaced by Mikkel Beck in the 75th minute.

Referee Graham Barber, who has incurred the wrath of Ferguson in the two other United matches he has officiated this season, finally made a decision he agreed with nine minutes from time when he awarded them a penalty for Neil Maddison's challenge on Butt. Maddison was incensed, but Barber had no doubts that he had brought Butt down and Irwin fired home the spot kick.

Giggs sealed United's place in the next round when he played a one-two with Solskjaer before beating Schwarzer in stoppage time.

POST MATCH REACTIONS

Bryan Robson accused Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt of diving after he won a controversial penalty at Old Trafford. The Middlesbrough boss was adamant that defender Neil Maddison had not touched Butt when he challenged him in the penalty area with the FA Cup third round tie finely poised at 1-1.

Television replays appeared to back up Robson's claims but referee Graham Barber saw it differently and pointed to the spot. Denis Irwin slotted home the penalty nine minutes from time for United's second goal which put them on course for a 3-1 win and a place in the fourth round at home to Liverpool.

"Unfortunately the referee buys a decision where Nicky Butt has dived," groaned Robson, "but you get some and you lose some. Neil said straight away that he didn't touch him and its unfortunate to go out of a cup with a decision like that."

Maddison was furious with the decision and he vented his anger on Butt.

"It was not a penalty. I made no contact with him whatsoever," he insisted. "As soon as Nicky went down I've gone straight to him and said, 'I didn't touch you.' I said, 'I can't believe you have gone down like that.' But I have no arguments with him because he is a good honest lad and things like this happen in football.

"If I had touched him I would have held up my hand because I'm as honest as he is. No part of my body has touched him and I haven't even got a foot on him. It's changed the course of the game and that penalty definitely cost us."

Barber incurred the wrath of Alex Ferguson in the two other United games he has refereed this season - against Arsenal at Highbury and against Chelsea at Old Trafford - but this was one decision the Reds boss was happy with.

Ferguson admitted it was a "softish" decision, but felt Maddison had made contact with Butt. I have watched it two or three times on TV and he caught him on the knee," said Ferguson.

"It was a softish penalty, but technically speaking he did catch him with his knee and it shows you that on telly clearly."

Boro had stunned United when Andy Townsend fired them ahead in the 52nd minute totally against the run of play. The Teessiders sniffed a repeat of their 3-2 league win just over two weeks ago, but United equalised through Andy Cole after 68 minutes before they went in front through Irwin's spot kick.

Giggs confirmed their place in the next round when he scored their third goal deep into stoppage time and Ferguson was delighted with his team's display.

"That was the best 90 minutes from us for a while, bar Barcelona and Bayern Munich," he said.

Ryan Giggs saluted Andy Cole after his equaliser had sparked a Manchester United comeback against Middlesbrough at Old Trafford. Cole turned a Giggs cross past Boro keeper Mark Schwarzer to haul United level in the 68th minute after Andy Townsend had fired Bryan Robson's men ahead seven minutes into the second half.

Denis Irwin hit the second 14 minutes later from the spot after a lunging challenge on Nicky Butt by Neil Maddison in the box and Giggs sealed a 3-1 win in the last minute after a one-two with substitute Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

"We dominated in the first half but just couldn't get the goal, and then they got the goal in the second half so it made it hard for us," said Giggs.

"Coley and (Dwight) Yorkie make great runs, and it was a great finish by Coley for the equaliser."

United defender Jaap Stam was delighted with the win and insisted he was not unnerved by the fourth round tie at home to Liverpool.

Stam said: "I don't know all the teams who went through, but they are all strong teams so if you want to win, we have to beat them as well. It doesn't matter who we get."

United boss Alex Ferguson relished the possibility of a glorious treble at the end of the campaign. Ferguson sees no reason why his side cannot go all the way in the Premiership, FA Cup and Champions' League.

"We've got a squad to do it," he insisted. "Today we had four players out and we've done fabulous. We have the quality and the resources and the squad is good at the moment and healthy - I just hope it stays that way."

Referee Graham Barber, who has incurred Ferguson's wrath this season with his handling of the games against Arsenal at Highbury and Chelsea at Old Trafford, found favour with the United boss by awarding the penalty against Maddison.

"For Graham Barber to give us a penalty kick it must have been a penalty," joked Ferguson, who was delighted with the goals from Cole and Giggs. They were marvellous finishes and with the possession we had, that's one of the best performances of the season. I thought the intensity of the passing, the movement and the energy we spent on the game was brilliant."

TEAMS

Manchester United: Schmeichel, Brown, Berg, Stam, Irwin, Butt, Keane, Giggs, Blomqvist, Yorke, Cole.
Subs: Solskjaer for Blomqvist, P Neville for Brown, Sherinham for Cole
Scorers: Cole (67), Irwin (pen 81), Giggs (90)

Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Fleming, Cooper, Maddison, Pallister, Gordon, Mustoe, Gascoigne, Townsend, Deane, Ricard.
Subs: Stamp for Mustoe, Beck for Gascoigne
Scorers: Townsend (51)

Referee: G Barber