在10月29日英超第11轮联赛中，米德尔斯堡队主场4：1大胜曼联，让客队经历了自1999年0：5大败给切尔西队后的最严重的一次失败。此前人们本来寄希望于在下周日能够看到一场切尔西和曼联之间的“强强对话”，但在曼联被米德尔斯堡队大比分羞辱之后，理论上的“强强对话”其实已经不复存在。

    据《卫报》10月30日报道，目前曼联积18分，比“领头羊”切尔西队整整少了13分，在联赛的排名也跌到了第6名。虽然目前离联赛结束还为期甚远，在目前阶段也没有哪支球队就敢说自己已经赢得了什么，但我们至少明白一点，那就是曼联冲击本赛季联赛冠军的可能，已经是微乎其微了。

    在经历如此大败之后，人们不禁要问，曼联究竟怎么了？要知道，此前他们本轮的对手米德尔斯堡队在本赛季的英超联赛中仅仅在主场赢过一回。此外，本场比赛中，米队的阵容也并不齐整。在后防线上，米队主力中后卫索斯盖特和埃西奥古都因故缺阵，为此主教练麦克拉伦极其冒险地排出了本赛季很少采用的3-5-2阵型，后防线由巴特斯、里格特和奎德罗3人组成。面对曼联由范尼斯特鲁伊和鲁尼充任箭头的锋线，这样的一条缺乏经验的后防线，在赛前的确很难让人看好。然而在比赛中，由5人组成的米队中场给与了前锋门迭塔以极大的支持，让后者可以从容和自由地穿插，而正是后来被评为本场比赛最佳球员的门迭塔，依靠开场2分钟左右的一脚远射，为本队射进了打开局面的第1球。

    此后门迭塔还助攻队友打进了本队的第2球，最后在比赛的第76分钟，打进了米队本场比赛的第4球，也是他本人的第2个进球。

    “本赛季开赛以来，我们一直在各个位置和阵型中进行磨合，”获胜后的米德尔斯堡队主教练麦克拉伦表示：“我们通常都采用4-4-2的阵型，但在周中比赛采用了3-5-2阵型后，我们发现这个阵型特别适合我们队。考虑到曼联锋线人物范尼和鲁尼两人的冲击力，我们今天的排兵布阵的确是一次赌博，但我们必须这样做。”

    对于在29日度过35岁生日的曼联门将范德萨而言，这场比赛的结果简直就是一场恶梦。实际上在门迭塔第一脚远射时，以范德萨的位置和本赛季所表现出来的不凡身手，他完全应该有能力将对方的皮球没收，而如果真的是那样的话，或许范德萨的生日就不会过得那么郁闷了。

    上赛季因伤缺席了本队大部分比赛的、西班牙前锋门迭塔，本轮的表现的确很抢眼。赛后米德尔斯堡队主教练麦克拉伦对门迭塔给与了很高的评价。他说：“上赛季受伤以后，门迭塔一直刻苦训练，并在同伤病的斗争中度过了好几个月。现在他迎来了自己职业生涯的第二春。”

    谈到本队的表现，麦克拉伦表示：“我们应该为这样的一场胜利而感到高兴，毕竟这样的时候并不常见。我们的胜利是理所当然的，球员们的表现实在是太好了，他们打进了对方4个球。在完成战术布置方面，球员们做得也是无可挑剔。”

    This was United's equal-worst defeat in the Premiership since Chelsea hammered them 5-0 in 1999 - and, surprise, surprise, it's Chelsea they meet next Sunday in the game that promises to be one of the season's most critical but, after this debacle, could prove merely academic.

    United are now 13 points behind Jose Mourinho's men and although there are plenty of points still to play for and no one ever won anything in October, United's chances of challenging for the title look, to say the least, limited.

    So what went wrong in a game whose scoreline equalled the beating handed out by neighbours Manchester City in March last year? United were outplayed, outthought, outrun, outtackled and outclassed by a Boro side who had previously won only once at home in the Premiership this season.

    The damage may have been done before the sides even took the field. Rumour had it that the pre-match team-talk was given by the Middlesbrough chairman, Steve Gibson. It might be worth repeating that exercise on a regular basis.

    More crucial was the Boro formation. Without established centre-backs Gareth Southgate and Ugo Ehiogu, manager Steve McClaren opted for a three-man backline of Matthew Bates, Chris Riggott and Franck Queudrue. A bold move, you might think, when faced with Ruud van Nistelrooy and Wayne Rooney. The result would appear to vindicate his decision.

    A five-man midfield had Stuart Parnaby and Emanuel Pogatetz on the wings. This freed up man of the match Gaizka Mendieta to run free in the middle of the park and he had a picnic.

    'We've been trying to get the blend and balance all season,' admitted McClaren afterwards. 'We generally play 4-4-2, but have struggled to get width. We tried 3-5-2 in the week and it seemed to suit us.

    'It was a gamble in this one with Ruud van Nistelrooy up front on his own, but we had to impose ourselves on them and it was a platform for us.'

    As early as the second minute Mendieta sent United reeling when he collected a pass from Pogatetz and hammered a 30-yard shot past Edwin van der Sar. It was the Dutchman's thirty-fifth birthday and, after a conspicuously successful start in the United goal since joining them from Fulham in the summer, he might have hoped for a happier afternoon.

    As it was, he got his hands to Mendieta's shot, but could only palm it into the net. It looked a modest attempt in view of the excellent view he must have had of the ball.

    Boro's second also asked questions of the United keeper. Once again Mendieta was involved, this time firing a 50-yard cross-field pass to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who twisted and turned past Rio Ferdinand and then Van der Sar far too easily before his acutely angled shot found the net.

    Boro pressed on. Sir Alex Ferguson, alarmed by their creativity, replaced Phil Bardsley with Keiran Richardson. He promptly gave away a penalty by grappling with Parnaby in the area. Surprisingly referee Alan Wiley initially waved the claim away before one of his assistants persuaded him to change his mind. Yakubu Aiyegbeni scored.

    You might have thought Sir Alex would exchange a few encouraging words with his team at half-time - but no, it was business as before after the interval. Boro continued to flourish in attack and their sturdy back three held United at arms' length.

    True, Rooney did fire a shot across goal which Mark Schwarzer smothered and Van Nistelrooy spurned a decent chance when substitute Cristiano Ronaldo found him with a flighted cross from the right.

    But then it was Mendieta back in the spotlight, given acres of space to sidefoot home Boro's fourth in the 78th minute after Aiyegbeni had shrugged off Ferdinand and pulled the ball back from the byline.

    United's defence were in tatters, their shape had gone and although Rooney offered cameos of his skill, they were a strangely sorry sight.

    Of Mendieta, who missed much of last season through injury, McClaren said: 'He worked so hard - he struggled for a couple of months, but has got his second wind.

    'We've got to enjoy this. Moments like this don't come along too often and the players deserve it - they were fantastic today.

    'We played some great football and scored four very good goals. The players executed the gameplan superbly.'