Grant Leadbitter shows intent with a first-time flashing shot from range for Boro. Plenty of power in the effort but it flies high over the bar.

Pat Nevin
Ex-Chelsea winger on BBC Radio 5 live

Sometimes teams get the bounce after sacking a manager and Middlesbrough will hope for that today.

They are getting a bounce from their fans. The noise has been brilliant. They are up for it. 

It has to be a new beginning because otherwise we all know where Middlesbrough will end up.

Manchester United should be 1-0 up. Marcus Rashford burns past Bernardo in the box and has just Víctor Valdes to beat but the keeper is down quickly to turn away the United forward's shot. Valdes, of course, playing against his former club. Well, technically former club. He only made two appearances for them, one as a sub.

Image source, PA

Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson is in the stands, desperately hoping he has made the right call on Aitor Karanka.

Boro have started on the attack, so the first six minutes of the post-Karanka regime have gone OK.

Image source, Getty Images

Boro win the game's first corner as Marten de Roon is beaten to a cross by Chris Smalling. It is taken short but blocked by a combination of Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young. Valencia on the wing today, having spent much of the season as a charging wing-back.

It is a windy old day on Teesside. Not great weather for launching high balls forward, as Boro find when a long pass designed for Stewart Downing beats the winger to the byline by a good 50 feet.

United try to get Marcus Rashford away in the Boro half courtesy of a launched ball forward but Ben Gibson gets his head to it and nods back to his own keeper.

Image source, Getty Images

Three games of football today in the Premier League. The first of them is under way as Boro kick-off.

MOTD2 Extra

Mark Chapman will be in position from 12:15 today on MOTD2 Extra to look back on yesterday's matches and preview what is to come today.

He is joined by Match of the Day commentator Steve Wilson, former Wales striker Dean Saunders and the chief football writer of the Times, Henry Winter.

You'll be able to watch the show on BBC Two or at the top of this page.

Jose is looking very casual in the tunnel, leaning against the wall, chewing on some gum. Things are about to get a bit more frantic, though. Here come the teams.

Natalie: Does Alex not remember when we used to play with Miller, Bellion, Manucho? Seen worse teams than this... Fergie was just a genius. 

Rhydian Williams: No I think the team that beat Arsenal 8-2 was worse than today's line up. He only says that because Fellaini is starting.

This was the starting line-up back in 2011 for the game Rhydian mentions... 

De Gea, Evra, Jones, Evans, Smalling, Anderson, Nani, Young, Cleverley, Rooney, Welbeck.

Guy Mowbray
Match of the Day commentator

With Jose Mourinho stressing that United have 'lots of enemies' this week, it might have been nice for him to catch up with a friend.

Aitor Karanka's dismissal from Middlesbrough means he'll be one down on that score at the Riverside, with Boro's inability to score one of the reasons for Mourinho's former assistant going.

His successor faces a conundrum. Changes are usually made to make a relegation-threatened team harder to beat - something not usually associated with becoming more cavalier.

Looking at  their next fixtures, external  though, caretaker Steve Agnew might as well send a team out to have a free hit against fatigued United - whilst taking Mourinho's 'probably lose' comments with a cellar full of salt.

Image source, PA

Leon Osman
Ex-Everton midfielder on BBC Radio 5 live's Friday Football Social

I think Middlesbrough have given themselves a chance of staying up, as there was only one way the club was going with Aitor Karanka at the helm.

I couldn't see them getting six more points, never mind the points tally they'll need to stay up.

Boro took the plunge this week and binned off Aitor Karanka. Sacking the boss has worked for the likes of Leicester, Palace, Swansea and Hull, but has Steve Gibson left his call too late?

Boro are winless in their last 10 Premier League games and currently sit in the relegation zone, five points from safety (although they do have two games in hand - including today's fixture - on Swansea, who are 17th).

Assistant head coach Steve Agnew will take control of the first team against United.

Leon Osman
Ex-Everton midfielder on BBC Radio 5 live's Friday Football Social

The season would be a relative success if Manchester United won the Europa League, considering how things have been going in recent seasons.

You would have to say they are favourites. With the Champions League qualification, there is an incentive for them to go after the competition if they don’t finish in the top four.

Wouldn’t it be great for United to bring another cup back to Old Trafford?

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AlexHollister-Writer: On paper, aside from Mata and De Gea, is that the weakest side Man Utd have put out for a PL match in the last decade? 

Alex has gone big here. Do you agree?

A win today would give Manchester United their 600th Premier League victory. They'll be the first club to reach that milestone. Arsenal have the second-most wins in Prem history - 517.

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Josh Earl:  That United team worries me, really wish Mkhitaryan and Martial were starting. Also, 4 defenders on the bench??

IMMSY: Take Pogba, Ibra and Mikey out and that United team looks so ordinary

AADZ: Underwhelming team will the performance to suit follow? 5 at the back? masterstroke or madness

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