After the euphoria of Wednesday night and Friday's Champions League draw, it's back to the Premiership on Saturday - still the most important competition we'll be involved in this season - to play Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.

It was a funny old season last time round for the Boro. Starting promisingly, they slumped to such an extent that come February, there was even talk of relegation in the air. An embarrassing home defeat by Villa, followed by one of the most honest and brutal post match interviews I've ever heard from defender Colin Cooper, seemed to mark the end of the decline. They beat Coventry City in their next home game, then managed a 0-0 draw against us in the next match. By the end of the campaign, they had finished a respectable 13th.

This year, they've started brightly again, building on the excitement and expectations brought about by Robson's pre-season signings of French World Cup star, Christian Karembeu (surely a snip at £2.1 million?) and Croatian forward, Alen Boksic (reportedly on wages of over £60k a week!) An opening day victory at Highfield Road, where Boksic opened his account with two goals, was followed by a 1-1 draw at home to Spurs in midweek. As a result, at this very early stage in the season, Boro sit proudly at the top of the Premiership table.

Boksic, whose injury record makes Duncan Ferguson look healthy, unsurprisingly missed the Spurs game, having tweaked a groin muscle. However, unfortunately for us, he should return on Saturday. Similarly, Colin Cooper and Paul Ince, who also missed the midweek fixture, will be available for selection.

Our long term injury victims are still unavailable and Eirik Bakke is unlikely to have recovered from last week's injury, sustained at the hands of ex-Boro man, Gascoigne, last Saturday. However, Olivier Dacourt, having served a one match European ban, should return to the heart of our midfield.

The main question United fans will be looking to have answered on saturday afternoon is whether we can sustain progress in the premiership as well as on the European front. Too often, last time round, we faltered domestically upon returning from European duty. Let's hope this does not happen this time round!

Lucas was on the bench, which given the fact we haven't got another game for 10 days this was surprising, unless he had some sort of injury. As it turned out he didn't get much of a rest as midway through the first half Woodgate was injured and had to go off. Bakke who was also injured very early in the game and was replaced by the Welsh International Matthew Jones, who later in the game suffered a head wound. As we were 2-0 up by that time The substitutions didn't appear all that important.

Our first goal came from a nice lay off by Bridges into the path of the on rushing Bowyer who buried it into the left bottom corner of the net from the edge of the area. Bowyer will be in his element playing behind the industrious strikers Smith, Viduka and Bridges, who in the first half ran the Boro defence ragged.

The second soon followed after a strong run from Dacourt whose great shot was deflected in off Smith, who ran his legs off throughout the match. This lad is a revelation now he is back to full fitness. The knockers who were writing him off last seaon should hold there heads in shame. For most of the 1st half Boro were struggling to contain us, in fact they were a second rate team in comparison. Despite the fact we were deprived of Kewell, McPhail, Wilcox and Bakke).

The three strikers were more than able to find space and Bowyer was driving forward to join them, whenever possible, whilst the general in midfield, Dacourt dominated and Bowyer was also excellent, but unfortunately shot over the bar from a better chance. He will have been dissapointed at the miss as it was an easier chance than the one he had earlier scored from. Bridges also missed an opportunity when unmarked at the far post. We were easily worth a two goal lead at half-time. It could or should have been 4 or or 5 and all over.

The second half was a lot different. Robson must have read the riot act at half time and Boro not before time as the home side started to put on some pressure. The Leeds manager stuck with the 3 man attack and it was end to end stuff with a goal looking inevitable. However despite the pressure Boro managed few clear chances and after Martyn had made a spectacular save from an Ince's header we resumed control again.

The last twenty minutes we had numerous four on three breakaways as Bowyer and Harte continued to join the attack but never found the right pass to finish the game off. Nonetheless we nearly scored a few times, a good Viduka run followed by a poor cross, a Viduka header wide from a virtually open goal, to be kind he may have seen the ball too late to have absolute control a weak shot from Smith and a blinding shot from Jones that was tipped over all went close.

So when Boro did get a goal from Stamp with just under ten minutes left it was somewhat against the run of play. David O'Leary then brought on Mills but not for a striker but for the struggling Jones, despite still having three men up we weren't put under too much pressure by Boro and their frustration was illustrated by a blatantdive from Whelan that angered Martyn and a petulant elbow from Karembeu on Smith near the end. At the final Whistle there was the unbelievable site of David O'Leary and Olivier Dacort seemingly arguing the toss on the pitch almost until the stadium had emptied. What this was about goodness knows. Was it about who scored the goal: Smith or Dacourt. Very unprofessional and a sad end, to an otherwise excellent performance.

Scores

Martyn 8 - Usual outstanding performance which may have been the turning point in the second half..

Kelly 8 - Solid reliable as you expect

Harte 6 - It would be nice to see the free kicks on target as in the friendlies leading up to the start of the season. No serious blunders, though distribution cold improve considerably.

Duberry 7 - Played quite well and meant we didn't miss Woodgate too much. Could prove to be a good squad player. Much improved from last season.

Radebe 9 - Couldn't understand why he didn't start. Excellent as ever, wish he was twenty one.

Jones 6 - Good confident goal attempts with great long range shots, appears to be not as fit as he should be, also head injury effected his performance.

Bowyer 8 - Almost back to his best, constantly breaking forward and creating chances and space for the other strikers, but still missing chances he should be putting away.

Dacourt 9 - MoM. A great signing, wins a lot of ball and uses it well. Always going forward which is excellent as O'Leary wants to play.During our dodgy spell at the start of second half the only one who realised importance of holding onto the ball. Covered loads of ground as Bowyer went forward and Jones tired.

Viduka 5 - Worrying that it's not just his fitness but that he is just very slow. He causes problems for defenders with his physical presence and holding up play. Smith and Bridges will benefit. The more Sutton scores for Celtic the more worried I become of Viduka. The gulf between the the two divisions is enormous. Can Viduka bridge the gap?

Bridges 7 - As usual used the ball intelligently and was often responsible for linking the good moves in the first half. Great feet for a tall lad.

Smith 9 - Excellent again. Totally different player from last season, quick, skilful, unselfish and chases everything. Heart of a lion this lad, he has grown up and the nastyness has changed into controlled agression which is superb.

Ref - Barber - Pretty good on the whole considering we were the visiting team. No complaints although we were sinned against rather than the sinners.

Reporters: Graham Thirkill and MJK