Wilder has a score to settle as his old club pay a visit
CHRIS Wilder may feel he has a score to settle with Sheffield United.
When the boss took his Boro team to former club United for a Championship showdown in early March they were humiliated 4-1.
It was an embarrassing and surprising defeat, coming as it did at the end of a decent run of Boro performances during which they had knocked Premier League giants Manchester United and Spurs out of the FA Cup.
It was also a game in which more was expected from Boro because it was essentially a play-off six- pointer with so much at stake.
No doubt new United boss Paul Heckingbottom and his staff were well aware of Wilder’s teams’ playing style and had organised their side accordingly.
While the defeat was a blow for the Teesside faithful it must have been even harder for Wilder to stomach at a ground where he had enjoyed so much success.
With home advantage this time around, and with a fresh start to the campaign, everybody at the Riverside will be looking for a reversal of fortune.
It can be a strange experience, leading a new team against your former club. Yet Boro managers have recorded more than a modicum of success in this area in the past.
None more than against the aforesaid Manchester United by former United men Steve McClaren and Bryan Robson.
McClaren, first team coach at Old Trafford under Sir Alex Ferguson, had a marvellous record against his old club while in charge of the Boro.
His side beat United on no less than five occasions, including two victories at the so-called Theatre of Dreams.
In addition to the five wins, there were also a couple of draws.
No doubt United fans were delighted when McClaren left Boro to take up the England hot seat.
The best of McClaren’s United victories came at the Riverside in October, 2005, when the Red Devils were humbled by 4-1.
As might be expected the Boro fans enjoyed every second. It was one of those special nights which lingers long in the memory.
A wall of noise was sparked when Boro took a second-minute lead and continued throughout the rest of the game. United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar was unable to hold a rasping shot from Boro’s Spanish star Gaizka Mendieta, which rolled into the net.
In 25 minutes it was 2-0. Mendieta lobbed the ball forward and Jimmy
Floyd Hasselbaink out-muscled Rio Ferdinand before hammering in a shot which van der Sar got a hand to but could not keep out of the net.
Amazingly, rampant Boro made it three before the interval.
Hasselbaink played a telling through ball for Stuart Parnaby, who was brought down inside the box by Kieran Richardson.
Yakubu stepped forward to blast home the spot kick and send the Boro fans into seventh heaven.
We expected a United reply after Sir Alex’s half-time dressing down and got one. The visitors pushed forward for long spells after the break.
However Boro defended their lines well, with Chris Riggott outstanding in the heart of the defence.
Twelve minutes from time Boro hit back to make it four when Mendieta grabbed his second goal following a Yakubu pull back.
A late header from United substi
tute Cristiano Ronaldo was a minor consolation for the visitors.
One thing about McClaren was he always prepared thoroughly for every game. He summed up the situation perfectly afterwards, saying: “We had to impose our system on theirs. We did that and it was a platform for our win.”
The decisive victory completed a Boro double over United during the year because they had won 3-2 at Old Trafford in the February.
Once again Boro were ultra positive in their approach. One of the surprising features of the game was that the diminutive Juninho scored with two headers.
The Brazilian whizzkid headed home his first after a shot from Frank
Queudrue was tipped on to the underside of the bar by Tim Howard and then the Little fella grabbed his second at the far post from a Mendieta cross.
Ruud van Nistelrooy pulled one back on the stroke of half-time.
Boro appeared to face an uphill battle when Ryan Giggs levelled in 63 minutes. Fortunately. McClaren’s men stuck to their game plan and were rewarded with the winning goal ten minutes from time thanks to an angled drive from Joseph Job.
Boro went one better two years earlier when they beat United on three occasions.
The first win came in the January when a depleted Boro side overcame the Red Devils in the FA Cup fourth round at the Riverside. Goals in the last six minutes from Noel Whelan and Andy Campbell sealed Boro’s success. Remarkably less than 18,000 fans were there.
Two months later Boro headed off to Old Trafford and beat United again, the only goal coming from a clinical finish by Alen Boksic following great work from Benito Carbone.
The hat-trick of victories was completed at the Riverside on Boxing Day thanks to another comprehensive Boro performance, this time winning by 3-1. This time the stadium was filled to the rafters with a capacity crowd of 34,673.
Goals either side of half-time from Boksic and Szilard Nemeth put Boro well in control. Ryan Giggs reduced the arrears on the hour but again Job sealed the win with a late clincher.
Robson managed to overcome United just once as Boro manager - but it was a special victory coming just a few months after Boro had won promotion back to the Premier League.
It was in December 1998, in a season where United were destined to go on and land the title. Hamilton Ricard put Boro 1-0 up midway through the first half before Dean Gordon added a second with an angled drive on the half hour.
Boro’s travelling faithful were then sent into dreamland on the hour mark when new striker Brian Deane scored a third. It seemed as though it couldn’t last and it didn’t.
Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes reduced the arrears to leave reduce the deficit to one goal with 20 minutes still remaining.
Boro had to dig deep, Gary Pallister outstanding at the back against his old club, to take the points.
Gareth Southgate overcame his previous club Aston Villa on just the one occasion as Boro manager. It came at Villa Park in 2008 as the result of a brace of goals from Tuncay. The Turkish international scored the opener from six yards after chaos in the Villa defence.
Steve Sidwell levelled shortly afterwards but Tuncay had the last word with another decisive finish two minutes from time.
Tony Pulis enjoyed some remarkable success at Stoke City.
He managed to lead his Boro team to two clean sheets against the Potters in 2018-19.
Boro earned a goalless draw in the Potteries and then a second minute goal from Britt Assombalonga was enough to take all three points at the Riverside.
One of Neil Warnock’s final games in charge of Boro produced a 2-0 win against previous club Cardiff City.
Boro went ahead in the 35th minute when a shot from Andraz Sporar was handled inside the area by Mark McGuinness. The Slovenian slammed home the penalty.
Paddy McNair hit the bar in the second half before Martin Payero made sure of the points with a strong drive.
Wilder has been in charge of the Boro for just one previous showdown against Sheffield United.
So this is the perfect opportunity for him to level the scores.
With home advantage... everybody at the
Riverside will be looking for a reversal
of fortune