GAIZKA Mendieta insisted he was always confident he could make a full recovery from his career-threatening cruciate ligament setback last year.

The Spaniard's season was rocked a little over a year ago when he twisted his knee while challenging Patrick Berger in Middlesbrough's 1-1 draw with Portsmouth at the Riverside.

It was a massive blow to the former Valencia, Lazio and Barcelona star, who at the time had been hoping to force his way back into the Spain squad after a two-year absence; which has now become three years.

But despite the seriousness of the injury Mendieta never questioned whether his career was going to be cut short.

"It was the worst injury of my career but I never thought it would be over for me as a footballer," said the 31-year-old midfielder ahead of Manchester United's visit to the Riverside today.

"I was always confident I could come back and play again."

Mendieta has yet to capture the early form that shot him to prominence on Teesside following his disappointing spell in Italy; but this is understandable given his year long spell on the sidelines.

He started in Boro's curtain-raiser at home against Liverpool at the Riverside and the following three before suffering a minor setback on his road to recovery before he was taken out of the firing line after the victory at Aston Villa.

The Bilbao-born playmaker says he is still building up his fitness levels after his lengthy absence from the team but believes it won't be long before he hits the heights that made him a fans' favourite at the Riverside.

"I was frustrated watching from the sidelines," said Mendieta. "It is always more difficult when you are outside of the team, even when you are not injured, and when you are on the bench or in the stands.

"At that time of my injury I was happy with my form and I want to get back to that form, but obviously it takes time.

"In the last two or three games I've felt I'm on my way back.

"I think after spending ten months out of the game you can not get back to full fitness within a month so I think it will take a few more games yet."

Middlesbrough face the Red Devils at the Riverside this afternoon with most fans wondering which side will be turning up.

As they have done, more often than not this season, Boro have followed up a below par performance - at West Ham last Sunday - with a thoroughly convincing display like at Everton on Wednesday.

Mendieta believes the Teessiders' inconsistency could be blamed on the intensity of their Premiership and UEFA Cup commitments.

"If I knew why we were so inconsistent I would tell you," said Mendieta, who also refuted claims that the club were more a cup team than a league side.

"I think when you play as many games as we have you will find it hard to be consistent.

"It is difficult when you're playing on a Thursday, Saturday and Tuesday to keep that level of performance every game.

"But maybe it is because we are a counter-attacking team and at home it is harder to break teams down. I think we have to find a balance because we used to play well at home. And I think it is more important to get the three points at home than away."

Mendieta reckons Boro will build on Wednesday's midweek Carling Cup win at Everton against Sir Alex Ferguson's side this afternoon and finally put to bed the Jekyll and Hyde tag that has followed them all season.

Although he recognises the Red Devils are still a good side, he believes they are now years behind catching Chelsea.

He said: "Arsenal had been there (the Premier League's top team) for three or four years. Before that it was Manchester United and now it is Chelsea who look strong.

"I think it will take time for United to catch them, maybe two or three years."

* Edwin van der Sar believes Manchester United's season hinges on the next five days.

With champions Chelsea due at Old Trafford on November 6, the Red Devils could be vulnerable to a slight lack of focus for the trips to Boro and Paris for Wednesday's Champions League encounter with Lille.

But the veteran Dutch 'keeper has left his United team-mates in no doubt anything other than two victories will turn the visit of Jose Mourinho's men into an irrelevance in the chase for major honours.

''The season is going to stand or fall on our two results this week,'' said Van der Sar.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.