New Delhi: Dimitar Berbatov scored the second-half goal against Middlesbrough that saw Manchester United narrow the gap on Chelsea and Liverpool above them, but it was a hard-fought victory for the Red Devils.
Third-placed Manchester United, the defending champions, went into this game - one of three in hand on their main rivals - looking to close the gap on second-placed Chelsea to four points, and on leaders Liverpool to seven. But despite their current slide, Middlesbrough arrived at Old Trafford buoyed by the knowledge that they had not lost in four of their last five visits to the Theatre of Dreams.
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson made four changes from the side that beat Stoke City 1-0 on Boxing Day, with Dimitar Berbatov, Michael Carrick, Park Ji-Sung and Rafael replacing Carlos Tevez, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville, respectively. Tevez was not even named among the substitutes.
Brazilian striker Afonso Alves replaced Mido in attack for Middlesbrough, while David Wheater and Matthew Bates were brought into the defence by manager Gareth Southgate.
Boro started brightly with some good pressure in midfield that forced Darren Fletcher into an error. Jeremie Aliadiere claimed possession of the ball and surged into the area, where he fell under the challenge from Nemanja Vidic, but referee Martin Atkinson waved away the penalty appeal after just two minutes.
United regained their composure and in their first meaningful attack, Wayne Rooney forced Boro keeper Ross Turnbull into a good low save to his left as the ball bounced teasingly in front of him. Cristiano Ronaldo collected it on the byline but Turnbull gathered his cross comfortably.
Then Korean midfielder Ji-Sung Park, whom Ferguson wants to secure on a new contract, crossed for Ronaldo, who tried to place his shot into the corner but made a mess of it. Undeterred, Park created some space on the left for a shot which was deflected over.
With United having the better of the possession but Boro looking dangerous when they broke forward, was nicely balanced. But Chris Riggott fouled Park to concede a free-kick on the left which Ronaldo curled just past the far post. The multi-honoured Portuguese superstar then tried another free-kick from distance which was deflected off the wall and into the grateful Turnbull's arms.
But Boro were unbowed, and soon Stewart Downing forced a foul from Rafael on the left, and his cross eventually found Alves whose shot was blocked by Michael Carrick. Seconds later, Alves cleverly turned Nemanja Vidic but sent his shot sailing over the bar.
United seemed sure to score on 23 minutes when Dimitar Berbatov - under pressure to start justifying his transfer fee - played in Rooney, who squared for Ronaldo, whose shot zipped the wrong side of the post.
At the other end, Downing did the same, whipping a shot past the post, before United attacked again with Ronaldo forcing another good save from Turnbull. However, the world player of the year was adjudged to have handled the ball in the build-up.
Turnbull then had to palm away Rooney's cross, but sent it straight into the path of Rafael, prompting Emmanuel Pogatetz to hurl himself in front of the Brazilian, whose shot was suitably hurried and hit the side netting.
Rooney took a ball from Berbatov and crossed or Carrick, whose effort was blocked for a corner, which Vidic headed wide. The Serb central defender then fired over from another corner delivered by Ronaldo.
Just before half-time, a ball into the Boro area hit Gary O'Neill on the arm, but despite United appeals, referee Atkinson judged it as ball-to-hand. And the last action of the half saw a powerful Rooney shot well saved by Turnbull.
The second half got underway with Matthew Bates halting a run from the impressive Rooney with a hard but fair tackle in the area, while Pogatetz and Ronaldo were enjoying a lively head-to-head confrontation. However, it was Park whose name was first into Atkinson's book, for bringing down Julio Arca from behind.
Vidic blocked an Alves shot before United had a let-off when an excellent Bates cross from the right was headed agonisingly wide of the post by Tuncay.
Gary Neville and Paul Scholes replaced Rafael and Fletcher, respectively, before Park's shot from a Rooney free-kick was inadvertently blocked by Vidic. Park then drove through from midfield and let fly with a low shot that Turnbull had to push behind.
But with United in the ascendancy, they duly took the lead when Wheater could only clear Carrick's left-wing cross to Berbatov, who found the net from eight yards to the relief of most inside Old Trafford.
Three minutes later, Park ran on to Neville's pass but somehow blazed over from right beneath the bar, although an erroneous offside flag spared some of his embarrassment. Then Turnbull manages saved a curling Ronaldo shot. The Portuguese midfielder was soon replaced by Ryan Giggs, and the game ended with Downing shooting well wide and Tuncay, from an offside position, hitting the post with an overhead kick.
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