Rooney main threat to Boro's Old Trafford hopes

Boro head to the Theatre of Dreams holding the record for the best run of results in United's backyard, having won three of their last five Premiership visits.

Only Liverpool, who lost 2-1 there last month, have a similar success rate against Sir Alex Ferguson's men.

Champions Arsenal and pretenders to the crown Chelsea have only won once, while Sam Allardyce's Bolton have also done well in previous years, having beaten the Red Devils twice in front of their Mancunian supporters.

Boro's most recent victory at United came just last year, when a brace from Juninho and a strike from Joseph Job clinched a memorable 3-2 victory.

But, after a shaky start to the 2004-05 campaign, Ferguson's side have turned things round by being undefeated in their last nine - winning their previous three games.

And McClaren, assistant boss to the Scot before taking over at the Riverside Stadium in the summer of 2001, is convinced United will close the seven-point gap on leaders Arsenal now Wayne Rooney is in their ranks.

Rooney, signed for £27m in August, only made his debut on Wednesday when he grabbed an incredible hat-trick in the Champions League victory over Fenerbahce.

There is a chance Ferguson may rest the 18-year-old tomorrow but McClaren is not taking anything for granted.

"I knew the United team from two or three weeks ago was decimated by injuries and when they got the players back they would be a great team," said McClaren, who worked with Rooney with England at Euro 2004, when the striker broke his foot.

"That was proved correct the other night. They have Rio Ferdinand back from suspension and now that they have Rooney they will be in contention for the title again, I'm sure.

"Rooney is a great player. It showed how much we missed him in that Portugal game when we went out on penalties and he was missing through injury.

"Whatever team they put out they will believe they can win the match anyway. It's special for me going back, it is always is."

Boro skipper Gareth Southgate is not getting caught up in the fanfare surrounding Rooney, choosing instead to suggest no matter who plays up front alongside Ruud van Nistelrooy will cause the visitors problems.

"It doesn't really make any difference to us if Rooney plays," said Southgate. "Whoever plays will be a threat. Just remember Alan Smith has started his career there unbelievably well. Everyone seems to have forgotten that this week. United have different threats and we're going there at a time when they're hitting top gear. It will be tough."

Middlesbrough visit United aiming to build on the UEFA Cup first-round victory over Czech champions Banik Ostrava - and forget about the two defeats to Chelsea and Everton that went before.

And Southgate hopes for a better outcome than the last time they played three days after a UEFA Cup tie, when they lost 1-0 at Goodison Park.

"Ostrava was the perfect preparation for a trip to Old Trafford," he said.

Rooney will not receive any special treatment from Sir Alex Ferguson despite his sensational start to life at Old Trafford.

Ferguson has handled scores of promising young players down the years, right back to his time at Aberdeen, and his methods often provide the template other managers try to copy.

And while even Ferguson would struggle to recollect a teenager who generated as many headlines as Rooney with his exploits for England and United over the last four months, the Scot will not be changing his philosophy.

''I don't anticipate having a harder time managing the expectation around Wayne than anyone else I have had at the club,'' said the United boss.

''It is a straightforward situation. He will get the same treatment as all the other young players and I am sure he will appreciate that.''

Ferguson's understated reaction to the 18-year-old's stunning debut hat-trick comes from a need to dampen down the publicity surrounding the former Everton star, who quit Goodison Park just before the transfer window closed.