Manchester United 1 Middlesbrough 1:After two controversial defeats and an equally contentious draw, Middlesbrough got their own back on Manchester United at Old Trafford to blast the Premiership title race wide open.

Mark Viduka's diving header in first-half stoppage time proved enough to earn Boro a point, which leaves Chelsea knowing five wins — including the key clash with United at Stamford Bridge on May 9th — will confirm a hat-trick of championships.

A bad, bad night for United was made even worse by the knowledge Rio Ferdinand is almost certainly out of Tuesday's Champions League semi-final with AC Milan after aggravating the groin injury he suffered against Watford last weekend.

With half a dozen key men missing Alex Ferguson's squad are being tested as never before. And on this evidence, they do not have the answers.

Boro were worthy of at least a point and with a debatable penalty call going against them as on every other occasion they have faced United this term, gained adequate reward for their efforts.

For a while in the second half it looked as though they might even win as United's defence, ripped to shreds by injury, threatened to disintegrate completely.

In the end, the hosts managed to assert themselves and claim a point which at least keeps their noses in front of Chelsea, who will close to within a point with victory at Newcastle tomorrow.

But they can feel Jose Mourinho's breath on their necks now and it will take something special to shake him off.