Downing may have to wait a while to inherit Giggs' crown

Giggs is unquestionably the greatest left winger ever to grace the Premiership, and in Downing, Boro have a wide man with the potential to match the United flyer all the way in the future.

The similarities between the pair are unavoidable if you measure their footballing careers from their infancy.

Giggs made an explosive entrance to the old Division One as a 17-year-old and quickly established himself as a world class performer.

He has achieved just about every European and domestic trophy there is to be won, and the only tragedy in his career - if there is a one - is never having the opportunity to display his silky skills on the biggest stage with his country.

There has been no finer sight in football than Giggs in full flight, arms pumping as he teased and tantalised opposition full backs.

But where Giggs was truly remarkable as a footballer, or unique, as a winger, was he never shirked his defensive responsibilities.

No wide man in the history of the game has worked as hard to win the ball back for his side when an attack broke down.

It was nothing to see the Welshman use his devastating energy to chase back and win possession with what has, now, become his trademark scooped tackles.

Giggs' first contribution of 2005 was to body-check Boro's promising star and concede a free-kick, sending an early warning to the young pretender if you like.

The United winger played in a three-pronged attack alongside fellow wing wizard Cristiano Ronaldo and Alan Smith, and his movement off the ball was superb.

Giggs is no longer a precious 17-year-old with boundless energy but he just as effective, despite being largely anonymous in the second half.

But Sir Alex Ferguson will have been delighted to look at his contribution sheet for the day and read that there was one assist and one goal marked on it in United's 2-0 victory.

Downing progressed to the first team a year later than his mentor Giggs, largely because serious injuries had hit the Boro squad hard.

Whether the 20-year-old would have flourished as much had Gaizka Mendieta not sustained a career-threatening injury is open to conjecture.

That he has is a testament to his precocious talent and a belief that he has what it takes to become a top-class footballer.

Franck Queudrue admitted on Saturday night that he is in no doubt his team-mate has what it takes to make it to the very top.

Despite his Boro colleagues not performing to the best of their abilities, the England under-21 international still managed to show why the press are clamouring for his inclusion into Sven-Goran Eriksson's next England squad.

Downing's first contribution to the game came after less than three minutes.

Bolo Zenden broke and fed the 19-year-old, who whipped a delightful ball with pace behind the United back four only to see it elude the on-coming Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink by a whisker.

The youngster repeated the act on several further occasions but remarkably, none of his team mates read the outcome.

Manager Steve McClaren knows that his talented teenager has all the right attributes, to at least equal Giggs' achievements if he retains his focus and hunger.

In Giggs, Downing could not pick a better role model.

The Old Trafford winger has proved you can retain both desire and ambition and achieve almost anything in the game despite the distraction of fame and fortune.

The downside to Downing's progress means he will inevitably attract bigger clubs who will try to obtain his services. Giggs probably has two more seasons of top class football left in him before Ferguson looks to replace him.

If the pretender to the throne is displaying majestic artistry already witnessed on Teesside this time next season, then it would not be a surprise if Downing did not usurp the king of the wing, and take his crown at a glittering ceremony at Old Trafford.

The future's bright for Downing but it could lie elsewhere.

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