Boateng ready to see off Man Utd
Middlesbrough skipper George Boateng has promised Manchester United
another rough ride when the two sides face each other in the FA Cup
sixth round. Boro have beaten United five times in just over five
years and Boateng has targeted win number six on
Saturday.
"They are the best team in the country so there is no shame in us
being the underdog," he told BBC Sport. "But United know this
fixture is not an easy ride. I know for a fact they don't enjoy
coming to Middlesbrough." The 31-year-old Boateng added: "I do
sense in this team that everybody is trying harder in the Cup
matches because they realise it is a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity.
"We are now two games away from Wembley. Getting Manchester United
at home with the chance to get to the semi-finals - it doesn't
happen very often and the whole team realises that. "We are the
underdog and Manchester United must live up to the expectations
that it has created, so the team is buzzing at the moment."
"This match is the reward for our hard work. Some teams would have
given up but we fought our way back and earned a massive game
against Manchester United. "Now we start to think that it might be
our year."
United's Middlesbrough misery began in January 2002 when they
exited the FA Cup at the Riverside. Since then Boro have also
beaten them four times in the Premiership. All five victories came
under their previous manager Steve McClaren, the current England
boss who enjoyed a hugely successful period as United coach before
taking the managerial reins at Boro.
Dutch international Boateng, who McClaren signed from Aston Villa
in the summer of 2002 for £5m, said: "The background of
Middlesbrough-Manchester United really started when McClaren came
here after so many years at Old Trafford. "He was always talking
about Manchester this, Manchester that. After a year we thought
'shut up with your Manchester' but then when we played them he gave
us the key areas, the tactics and what to do exploit them and to
beat them.
"There is a rivalry there. In the past when Ruud van Nistelrooy was
at United he always said he never fancied coming here because it is
always hard. We give them a rough ride and we play good football.
"They are not used to that because most teams set up against them
with one striker and defend, hoping to nick the odd goal. "But we
attack them and they don't like it. It's a lot harder for
them."
For Boateng the mind games started as soon as the draw was made, he
received a text from fellow Dutchman and United keeper Edwin van
der Sar. "He said he is really sorry as he wants to have the FA Cup
on his CV," said Boateng. "I texted him back saying I don't mind
him wanting it, but he will have to work hard to achieve it."
Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Parnaby, Woodgate,
Pogatetz, Taylor, Cattermole, Morrison, Boateng, Arca, Euell,
Downing, Viduka, Yakubu, Lee, Jones, Xavier.
Manchester United: Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Neville,
O'Shea, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Heinze, Ronaldo, Park, Carrick,
Giggs, Richardson, Rooney, Larsson, Smith.
