STEVE McCLAREN'S hope that Middlesbrough could extend their proud unbeaten run into the new year was dashed by mentor Sir Alex Ferguson.

Boro went into this fraught and fractious Riverside contest having avoided defeat in their previous 11 games in League and Cup.

But even though the champions had teenage winger Darren Fletcher controversially sent off for the first time in his career after 64 minutes, Boro couldn't come up with a reply to Quinton Fortune's early opener.

Scottish international Fletcher saw red from referee Matt Messias for a second bookable offence after bringing down Bolo Zenden.

But his initial caution, three minutes before half-time for wrestling Boro substitute Stuart Parnaby, was harsh in the extreme.

Fortune lived up to his name when he claimed his second goal of the season and first in the League in the 14th minute.

The versatile South African, standing in at left-back to avert a potential defensive crisis for injury-hit United, saw his finish take a wicked deflection off Boro right-back Danny Mills.

Fortune sold Gaizka Mendieta a dummy as he cut inside and his shot struck Mills to leave goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer wrong-footed.

In the end, it was enough for United to stretch their lead at the top of the Premiership to four points ahead of Arsenal's game at Southampton this evening.

Despite their impressive sequence of results, Boro are only three points off a relegation spot after slipping four places to 15th.

Ugo Ehiogu made his long-awaited return to the Boro defence after almost eight months out with cruciate ligament damage.

Ehiogu, who had played only one behind-closed-doors game and a reserve match against Man. United since the penultimate encounter of last season with Spurs, was restored alongside skipper Gareth Southgate as 36-year-old Colin Cooper dropped out of the squad.

Mills had recovered from illness to resume at right-back in place of Andrew Davies, while Jonathan Greening returned at the expense of Stewart Downing.

But Zenden, rather than reverting to the left flank, remained in the centre of midfield after performing impressively there in the 2-2 Boxing Day draw at Blackburn.

With John O'Shea expected to be ruled out for three weeks with a hamstring strain, United were relieved to see Mikael Silvestre passed fit following a scan on a knee injury.

Skipper Roy Keane, Phil Neville, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Ruud van Nistelrooy all returned after being rested for the 3-2 home win over Everton.

Teenage Portuguese sensation Cristiano Ronaldo, the inspiration behind that victory, was given a breather and goalscorers Nicky Butt and Kleberson were among the substitutes with Wes Brown, who was back in the first-team picture for the first time this season after his second cruciate injury.

As anticipated, Boro's gameplan was to attempt to withstand United's early pressure.

The flair and fluency of Giggs, Scholes and van Nistelrooy was always going to be a danger but when the goal came, it was from an unlikely source in Fortune - and unfortunate for Boro.

There was more misfortune for Boro when left-back Franck Queudrue limped off in the 19th minute to be replaced by Parnaby.

Mills' frustration was soon evident when he foolishly lashed out at Giggs as they jostled for possession on halfway.

While there was no contact, there was no mistaking the intent and the fiery England defender, whose loan from Leeds McClaren aims to convert into a permanent deal in the new year, picked up his seventh yellow card this season.

Little had been seen of Boro as an attacking force and they needed a set-piece opportunity to mount their first assault on the United goal.

Keane was guilty of an uncharacteristic miskick on the edge of his own area and when the ball ran straight to Mendieta, the United captain's lunge presented Boro with a free-kick which Zenden curled just over with keeper Tim Howard at full stretch.

The home fans were then up in arms after Keane escaped a booking for another foul on Mendieta.

Fletcher was cautioned for holding back Parnaby before Giggs skinned Ehiogu to create panic in the Boro defence.

But when Giggs pulled the ball across goal, neither van Nistelrooy nor Scholes could reach it.

Boro duo George Boateng and Juninho were then booked in the space of a minute before half-time.

Boateng was late into the tackle with Scholes in what appeared to be an act of retribution after Keane's challenge on Juninho moments earlier had gone unpunished.

But replays showed that Keane had timed his tackle to perfection and Juninho's protestations, which resulted in his yellow card, were unjust.

The irate home crowd, however, didn't see it that way and neither did McClaren, who marched on to the pitch at half-time to seek an explanation from Mr Messias.

Keane, who had left the field shortly before the interval, re-emerged for the second period and continued to ride his luck as the referee kept his cards in his pocket after the Irishman had brought down Mills.

For all United's dominance, Schwarzer had scarcely been troubled until he pulled off a breathtaking reflex save in the 56th minute.

Scholes found Giggs on the right and when the ball was delivered van Nistelrooy's one-touch lay-off was met with a ferocious strike from Scholes, which Schwarzer touched on to the bar.

Giggs then had a great chance to increase his side's lead in a one-on-one with Ehiogu, but couldn't get past him and Schwarzer gathered the loose ball.

The game took on a different complexion when Fletcher was dismissed moments after Phil Neville had been booked for a foul on Juninho.

McClaren threw caution to the wind as he sent on striker Massimo Maccarone and Downing for Greening and Parnaby.

But the best chances fell to Michael Ricketts, who missed two fine headed openings, first from a Mendieta cross then from the Spaniard's left-wing corner.

Result: Middlesbrough 0 Mancheter United 1.

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