Rooney brought down to earth

The fact that Gaizka Mendieta missed the clearest opportunity of the match when Boro were leading 1-0 further undermined Ferguson's point, and if the United manager really cannot see the faults in his team's performance then he is deluding himself.

Nine points behind Arsenal, United's position accurately reflects their form this season. Of the four Premiership games they have now drawn, United could well have lost three and this, as much as anything, sums up the uncertainty of their efforts.

At the heart of their troubles lies Ferguson's selection policies. Yesterday, for example, he omitted five central midfield players to play John O'Shea alongside Roy Keane, while Smith himself, who began his season with five goals in six games, has not started a game since September 11.

Perhaps there is some logic driving Ferguson's policies, but if so it is difficult to see. What is certain is that the likes of Phil Neville - who has started only once this season - would love an explanation.

'Middlesbrough played one striker up the field and everybody else was behind the ball,' said Ferguson. 'That's

what everybody does when they come here and Middlesbrough's young players had the legs for it.

'Their goal came from their only attack and whenever we did get behind them there were so many players in the box that it was hard to get through.

'In the first half we were maybe a bit slow on the ball and we were perhaps a bit anxious. But we got into some fantastic positions and we just needed a bit of luck.' Arsenal's form is such that United simply cannot afford to miss opportunities like the one which presented itself yesterday. Even McClaren had given his team little hope beforehand.

The Boro coach said: 'This is one of the most memorable performances in my three years at the club. We've had a terrible week with injuries, and anybody who saw that teamsheet beforehand would not have given us a chance. To come away with a point is a bonus and I thought the performance was magnificent.'

With only Szilard Nemeth up front and the excellent George Boateng playing in front of his back four with instructions to shackle Rooney, who was restricted to two first-half shots, both well wide, Middlesbrough's ambition appeared limited when the teamsheets arrived.

However, they played expansively when the opportunity arose and their goal illustrated that. Left winger Stuart-Downing began the move with a super pass across the field to Morrison, and when the youngster crossed viciously to the far post Downing scored from a tight angle.

It was a super goal and one United could not respond to. For all the efforts of the ever-improving Cristiano Ronaldo, United only managed an early effort from the Portugal winger and a close-range effort from Ruud van Nistelrooy in the first half.

After the interval, United were a little better but would have been dead and buried had Mendieta not ballooned the ball into the crowd.

As it was, United eventually found some rhythm and, after Van Nistelrooy struck the bar, deserved the equaliser that came when Smith rose to head Ronaldo's cross past Mark Schwarzer with nine minutes left.