A thrilling, end-to-end cup tie couldn’t find a winner between United and Middlesbrough at the Riverside on Saturday evening, with the Reds taking the lead before coming from a goal down to rescue a draw.

The tie now goes to a replay at Old Trafford on Monday 19 March, but the extra fixture is by no means ideal for Sir Alex Ferguson’s team, with the season entering the crucial final two months.

United were the better team in the first half and took the lead through Wayne Rooney, but two defensive errors either side of the break led to Middlesbrough going in front before Cristiano Ronaldo levelled from the spot. Despite a pulsating finish, neither side could break the deadlock.

Tomasz Kuszczak was a late inclusion to the starting line-up after Edwin van der Sar strained a calf during the warm-up. Chris Eagles was promoted to the bench, but it would mean the Reds going into the game without a substitute goalkeeper.

Otherwise, Sir Alex had picked his strongest available team, the only changes to the team that beat Lille midweek being Gabriel Heinze playing at left-back in place of the injured Mikael Silvestre and Patrice Evra, while John O’Shea partnered Michael Carrick in place of Paul Scholes, who starts a three-match suspension after his red card against Liverpool.

Middlesbrough have won three of the last six matches against the Reds at the Riverside, and Gareth Southgate’s side started the match with no fear of attacking United. In the eighth minute Julio Arca