Ronaldo’s start in English football’s League Cup third-round tie was his first since the European Champions League final — following a post-Euro 2008 ankle surgery.

But Ferguson’s satisfaction at his second win in the opening seven fixtures was tempered by the 65th-minute injury to Possebon, in his United debut. This saw Pogatetz sent off and the United manager engaged in a furious row with Gareth Southgate, Middlesbrough’s manager.

United showed 11 changes from the side which drew at Chelsea on Sunday.

Ferguson had four teenagers — goalkeeper Ben Amos, defender Rafael da Silva, midfielder Possebon and the forward Danny Welbeck — starting a senior game for the first time. Yet all looked comfortable against a strong Middlesbrough side, and it was a question of when, rather than if, United would take the lead. The answer was 24 minutes, the length of time it took Ronaldo to announce his return to goal-scoring form.

Giggs’s corner swung into the Middlesbrough area and Ronaldo, the scorer of 42 goals last season, was inexplicably allowed to connect with an unmarked header from eight yards.

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