RYAN GIGGS turned back the clock to keep Manchester United on course for the Premier League.
To be exact, the Welsh wizard went back in time 13 years - straight to the Riverside Stadium.
It was there on the final day of the 1995-96 season that Giggs scored at Middlesbrough as United pipped Newcastle to the title.
To be exact, the Welsh wizard went back in time 13 years - straight to the Riverside Stadium.
It was there on the final day of the 1995-96 season that Giggs scored at Middlesbrough as United pipped Newcastle to the title.
And today, Giggs picked the same end at the Riverside to score and cement United's position at the top of the table.
United fans looking for title omens need not look any further.
Park Ji Sung added the second just after the break to kill off Gareth Southgate's men and leave them closer to the drop.
United boss Alex Ferguson hailed Giggs for another superb display.
He said: “What more can I say? He was fantastic. I think that goal sealed the victory.
“Once we got in front, that was the key to it because Middlesbrough are a young side.”
Giggs picked up the PFA Player of the Year award last week and admitted he is on a real high.
He said: “It’s been a great week. It couldn’t have gone any better.
“I won the award, played my 800th game and then scored today.
“We just wanted to get this one out of the way and we’ve done that and now we just want to concentrate on the remaining games.”
Fergie is already smelling the scent of Premier League glory.
He added: “It’s a big step forward.
“I just keep saying that if you whittle the games away, eventually there are no games left - and hopefully we will still be at the top of the table when we get to that point.
“It was a very good performance. They all worked their socks off and once we got a hold of the ball, we always looked a danger.”
Southgate refused to admit defeat in the fight for top-flight survival.
He said: “We have to go to Newcastle now and deal with the atmosphere there.
“For us in some respects, it is possibly the last throw of the dice because we need the momentum of a win there to carry into the last couple of games.
“The reality is, as I have said for a number of weeks, that we have to go to Newcastle and win.
“As a group of players and staff, we have to consign today to history.
“The last two weeks, we have been looking for a miracle, really, to get a result against the two teams we have been up against.
“Now we have realistic opportunities and we have to take them.
“We have got it all to do - but we have known that from probably 10 weeks ago.”
Ferguson made seven changes from the team that beat Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday.
United fans looking for title omens need not look any further.
Park Ji Sung added the second just after the break to kill off Gareth Southgate's men and leave them closer to the drop.
United boss Alex Ferguson hailed Giggs for another superb display.
He said: “What more can I say? He was fantastic. I think that goal sealed the victory.
“Once we got in front, that was the key to it because Middlesbrough are a young side.”
Giggs picked up the PFA Player of the Year award last week and admitted he is on a real high.
He said: “It’s been a great week. It couldn’t have gone any better.
“I won the award, played my 800th game and then scored today.
“We just wanted to get this one out of the way and we’ve done that and now we just want to concentrate on the remaining games.”
Fergie is already smelling the scent of Premier League glory.
He added: “It’s a big step forward.
“I just keep saying that if you whittle the games away, eventually there are no games left - and hopefully we will still be at the top of the table when we get to that point.
“It was a very good performance. They all worked their socks off and once we got a hold of the ball, we always looked a danger.”
Southgate refused to admit defeat in the fight for top-flight survival.
He said: “We have to go to Newcastle now and deal with the atmosphere there.
“For us in some respects, it is possibly the last throw of the dice because we need the momentum of a win there to carry into the last couple of games.
“The reality is, as I have said for a number of weeks, that we have to go to Newcastle and win.
“As a group of players and staff, we have to consign today to history.
“The last two weeks, we have been looking for a miracle, really, to get a result against the two teams we have been up against.
“Now we have realistic opportunities and we have to take them.
“We have got it all to do - but we have known that from probably 10 weeks ago.”
Ferguson made seven changes from the team that beat Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday.
But United still boasted a side oozing talent, with Giggs, Paul Scholes, and Dimitar Berbatov all returning.
Jeremie Aliadiere had the first half-chance for Boro but pushed his effort wide from 20 yards.
Patrice Evra's outrageous volleyed pass on five minutes found Wayne Rooney wide on the left as United found their range. The England man instantly turned inside his man but, trying to find the top corner, curled his shot over.
Rooney looked desperate to open the scoring but two more long-range drives never troubled Brad Jones in the Boro goal.
The home side almost grabbed the breakthrough on 21 minutes when Aliadiere received the ball in the box after ref Mark Halsey had waved play-on following a foul back in Boro's own half.
He got his shot away under pressure from Nemanja Vidic but Ben Foster saved with his legs.
Scholes dragged a shot wide before Matt Bates denied a certain goal with a superb sliding challenge.
However, from the corner, the ball was cleared to Rooney and his pass towards the box eventually broke for Giggs, who rifled in from 22 yards past a stunned Jones.
Boro appealed in vain for a penalty when the ball appeared to hit both Vidic and Berbatov on the arm.
Tuncay soon set his sights but Scholes was on hand to block his fierce drive.
And the United midfielder was in the action at the other end twice before half-time only to see his efforts flash wide.
Rooney wriggled free in the Boro box at the start of the second half and found Federico Macheda, whose instant shot cracked wide.
But Rooney was rampant and his reverse ball moments later found Park in acres of space and he fired past Jones into the bottom corner.
The England man curled another one over with 15 minutes remaining. But United were home and hosed long before then.
Middlesbrough: Jones, McMahon (Digard 55), Wheater, Huth, Hoyte, O’Neil (Emnes 70), Sanli, Bates, Downing, King (Alves 55), Aliadiere. Subs not used: Turnbull, Arca, Adam Johnson, Grounds. Booked: Huth.
Man Utd: Foster, O’Shea, Vidic, Evans, Evra (Rafael Da Silva 78), Park (Nani 74), Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, Berbatov, Macheda (Tevez 55). Subs not used: Kuszczak, Ronaldo, Anderson, Gibson. Booked: Macheda. Goals: Giggs 25, Park 51.
Att: 33,767
Ref: Mark Halsey (Lancashire).
Patrice Evra's outrageous volleyed pass on five minutes found Wayne Rooney wide on the left as United found their range. The England man instantly turned inside his man but, trying to find the top corner, curled his shot over.
Rooney looked desperate to open the scoring but two more long-range drives never troubled Brad Jones in the Boro goal.
The home side almost grabbed the breakthrough on 21 minutes when Aliadiere received the ball in the box after ref Mark Halsey had waved play-on following a foul back in Boro's own half.
He got his shot away under pressure from Nemanja Vidic but Ben Foster saved with his legs.
Scholes dragged a shot wide before Matt Bates denied a certain goal with a superb sliding challenge.
However, from the corner, the ball was cleared to Rooney and his pass towards the box eventually broke for Giggs, who rifled in from 22 yards past a stunned Jones.
Boro appealed in vain for a penalty when the ball appeared to hit both Vidic and Berbatov on the arm.
Tuncay soon set his sights but Scholes was on hand to block his fierce drive.
And the United midfielder was in the action at the other end twice before half-time only to see his efforts flash wide.
Rooney wriggled free in the Boro box at the start of the second half and found Federico Macheda, whose instant shot cracked wide.
But Rooney was rampant and his reverse ball moments later found Park in acres of space and he fired past Jones into the bottom corner.
The England man curled another one over with 15 minutes remaining. But United were home and hosed long before then.
Middlesbrough: Jones, McMahon (Digard 55), Wheater, Huth, Hoyte, O’Neil (Emnes 70), Sanli, Bates, Downing, King (Alves 55), Aliadiere. Subs not used: Turnbull, Arca, Adam Johnson, Grounds. Booked: Huth.
Man Utd: Foster, O’Shea, Vidic, Evans, Evra (Rafael Da Silva 78), Park (Nani 74), Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, Berbatov, Macheda (Tevez 55). Subs not used: Kuszczak, Ronaldo, Anderson, Gibson. Booked: Macheda. Goals: Giggs 25, Park 51.
Att: 33,767
Ref: Mark Halsey (Lancashire).
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