Despite being without the suspended Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the injured Paul Pogba, Manchester United secured a deserved 3-1 win away to Middlesbrough on Sunday to make it 600 victories in the Premier League for the Red Devils.
United took the lead on the half-hour mark, via a Marouane Fellaini header from an Ashley Young centre.
Middlesbrough, with Steve Agnew in charge after the dismissal of Aitor Karanka, enjoyed a lot of the ball but once again struggled to find a cutting edge up front.
However, it was United who would score the next goal on 62 minutes, and what a goal it was, with Jesse Lingard racing forward before unleashing an unstoppable piledriver.
Sub Rudy Gestede got ‘Boro back into the game on 77 minutes after Chris Smalling made a dog’s dinner of a clearance.
Indeed, Gestede, who netted his first goal for the club, was also involved in a clash Eric Bailly which lead to a major confrontation between both sets of players, which continued after the final whistle.
However, Antonio Valencia would seal the deal for the visitors at the death, after an embarrassing slip from ‘keeper Victor Valdes.
The win sees Jose Mourinho’s leapfrog Everton and Arsenal to go fifth, with the Red Devils extending their unbeaten run in the league to 18 games and registering their 600th win in the competition.
As for ‘Boro, who suffered their 1000th top-flight defeat in the game, they remain in 19th spot, just two points off the bottom and five points from safety.