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The Guardian:
When Manchester United lost 3-1 at Maine Road 47 days ago Sir Alex Ferguson said the defeat could have historic implications for a team that had grown up together in the 1990s. Yesterday a man called Job, Joseph-Desiré, gave Ferguson and all at Old Trafford an unwelcome reminder that the theme of future employment is still a pertinent one.

"There's only one job on Teesside," sang the Middlesbrough fans deliriously after the Cameroonian had capped another spiky personal display with the 86th-minute tap-in that completed the scoring and ended United's pursuit of an equaliser. In terms of United's personnel plans another 3-1 defeat may prove less dramatic than the one at Manchester City, but this nevertheless seemed a pivotal moment in the championship.

Ferguson does not attend post-match press conferences so his views of this result's effect on the title race were unknown. His former assistant, Boro's manager Steve McClaren, saw "many twists and turns" to come; he may be right but it is unquestionably Arsenal's championship to lose now.

Ferguson has always maintained that no side can win the title if they lose more than six games, and, if Arsenal are to be overhauled, that means United can lose only once more in 18 remaining fixtures.

The Independent:

Manchester United are back on a run again. After those nine wins in a row it is now two defeats in succession for Sir Alex Ferguson's side.

Sir Alex was undone by his former assistant twice last season – in an FA Cup fourth-round tie at the Riverside and in a Premiership match at Old Trafford in March. The latter defeat proved a vital one for United in the title race and yesterday's loss has left them seven points behind Arsenal in this season's battle for the Premiership.

The deficit is far from irretrievable, but the worrying thing for United and for their manager yesterday was the rust that was evident in their defence. Laurent Blanc endured a particularly uncomfortable afternoon against a mobile Boro front line. All three of Middlesbrough's forwards – Alen Boksic, Szilard Nemeth and Joseph-Désiré Job – finished on the scoresheet. United finished with Rio Ferdinand alongside Ruud van Nistelrooy as a second centre-forward.

United tested Mark Schwarzer just once before the interval, John O'Shea forcing a diving save from Boro's Australian goalkeeper.

Boro lacked a cutting edge of their own – until half-time approached. Three minutes into the second-half it was 2-0. Nemeth drifted past Blanc and slipped the ball around O'Shea on the right edge of the United penalty area and cracked a right-foot drive past Barthez into the far corner of the net.

The fight-back was not long in coming. On the hour mark Scholes fed the ball out to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on the right and the Norwegian's ball to the near post was turned in first-time by Ryan Giggs.

The arrival of David Beckham – a 72nd-minute addition to a team which featured Roy Keane in a starting role for the first time since August – added to United's attacking momentum. The England captain had a free-kick and a sweeping shot deflected wide. Van Nistelrooy also had a penalty claim turned down, after falling under a challenge from Ugo Ehiogu.

It all came to naught, though.

Telegraph:

Sir Alex Ferguson left the Riverside last night with a bottle of fine wine but nothing to celebrate. The present came from Middlesbrough's manager, Steve McClaren, but the over-riding taste seeping into Ferguson's palate was of defeat and a thoroughly deserved one.

United's second successive reverse, following their remarkable rally, was rooted in two obvious fault-lines: the inability of Laurent Blanc to handle the pace of the Premiership and Juan Sebastian Veron's inhibited nature when asked to play alongside Roy Keane, who made an inevitably rusty first start in four months.

There is so much that is good about United, from Gary Neville, Wes Brown and John O'Shea in defence, to Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ruud van Nistelrooy further forward. But Blanc's lack of speed ensures that he drops deep, ruining any attempt at an offside trap and inviting opponents on. Veron, so inventive in Keane's absence, simply disappeared into his shell yesterday.

In mitigation for United, Boro were terrific, feeding off the adrenalin of their fans and tactical nous of their manager. McClaren unleashed three strikers on a United defence patently unhinged by Blanc's presence (and the absence of Mikael Silvestre with a neck injury). Alen Boksic, Szilard Nemeth and Joseph-Desire Job all scored, each profiting from poor defending.

McClaren similarly prospered in giving a first start of the season to Mark Wilson, counting correctly on the midfielder "having a point to prove against his former club". Wilson, energetic and disciplined, eclipsed Veron and Keane. Alongside Wilson, Geremi and Jonathan Greening were perpetual motion personified. The sight of Greening filling up his car at a local service station had excited fans en route to the Riverside. It was hugely symbolic. He certainly had a full tank on the pitch, motoring relentlessly between the penalty areas.

Similarly, McClaren's insistence on a high tempo ensured that United could never settle. "We were bold," said McClaren, who now leads 3-2 in head-to-heads with his old mentor, Ferguson. "I always felt we could hit them on the break. Our work ethic was magnificent."

They were assisted by the flaws staining the games of Veron and Blanc. Veron was hugely culpable for Boro's goal seconds before half-time, the Argentine lazily electing to gamble with possession in a 50-yard crossfield pass. Pure risk, pure folly.

The ball was picked off by Queudrue, who sauntered upfield, ignoring a half-hearted challenge from Veron before placing the ball down the inside-left channel for Boksic, who had lost Blanc, to stride through and lift the ball over Fabien Barthez. How United must hate the sight of the skilful Croat, who has often played their nemesis from Turin to Trafford.

Worse befell Ferguson's side just after the interval. This time it was Geremi the creator, heading the ball through for Nemeth to race past the watching Blanc and then escape O'Shea with a combination of power and pace.

Stung into action, United revealed glimpses of their true class, most notably just before the hour when Scholes sent Solskjaer down the right and his angled cross was turned in by Giggs.

Rio Ferdinand, the most expensive defender in the world, came on in attack. This, unfortunately, meant Blanc was still in defence. Ferdinand is needed at the back. The inability of Blanc's legs to reach gathering danger was again seen brutally five minutes from time.

The Frenchman tried to run out to challenge Geremi, but then checked, realising he would not make it. Geremi hoisted in a huge cross which Massimo Maccarone, newly introduced as a substitute, deftly headed back across for the unmarked Job to tap home.

Diplomatically, McClaren insisted the championship would not be a procession for Arsenal, despite yesterday's dropped points by all the chasing pack. "This league is strange," said McClaren. "Everyone is beating everyone else. No one is out of the title race. There will be more twists and turns." Yesterday United suffered a nasty turn.

The Times:

If Manchester United thought their problems had vaporised into ghosts of the recent past on the day that they were able to field all their big shots, then three unlikely kings proved that their old crown is still askew.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s side, even with Roy Keane back in the fold and David Beckham and Rio Ferdinand putting in an appearance, lost for the second time in five days to fall seven points off the peak of the Barclaycard Premiership.

United were undone by the tactics of Steve McClaren, their former assistant manager, who selected three strikers and was rewarded with a goal from each.

Middlesbrough remain unbeaten at home and yet their excellence was matched by United’s shoddiness. From the nonchalance of Juan Sebastián Verón to the inadequacies in the protection that Laurent Blanc offers to the defence, Ferguson’s team were second best throughout. At least Keane, back in the starting line-up for the first time in four months, managed to complete the game.

Mikael Silvestre, who had a neck injury, was badly missed in United’s back four, although McClaren understandably preferred to concentrate on his team’s strengths rather than his old side’s failings.

This is the third time the apprentice has come out on top in five meetings with his old sorcerer since McClaren left Old Trafford 18 months ago.