It was clear from Manchester United’s starting XI that Ralf Rangnick and his team were taking the FA Cup very seriously and rightfully so, as it had represented their best chance of silverware this season. As a result, first-team regulars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Paul Pogba, Raphael Varane, Harry Maguire, Scott McTominay and Luke Shaw, all ended up starting in the fourth round tie against Middlesbrough at Old Trafford.
Despite having their struggles this season, most Manchester United fans would have hoped to get a comfortable win over Championship opposition on the day.
Unfortunately, that’s not how football always works. And although they dominated proceedings, the Red Devils could not put their chances away and Cristiano Ronaldo even ended up missing a penalty kick.
Middlesbrough would find their way to the back of the net ultimately, bringing them level at 1-1 against Manchester United, who had been put ahead by Sancho, and taking the game to extra-time. And ultimately, Manchester United would end up losing in the penalty shootout.
Manchester United vs Middlesbrough: 3 things we learned
Here are three things we learned from Manchester United’s FA Cup fourth round exit at the hands of Middlesbrough at Old Trafford:
Manchester United’s woes in front of goal continue

Often in recent times, Manchester United have struggled to put in good performances. This was not the case against Middlesbrough though.
In fact, this was as dominant as the Red Devils have looked for a while. But they just could not take their chances in front of goal.
It was not just about Ronaldo missing the penalty kick. There were several other times that Manchester United could have scored but did not. And this has been a problem throughout the season, particularly since the arrival of Ralf Rangnick as interim manager.
While the Red Devils have improved defensively, they appear to be struggling going forward despite the incredible amount of talent that they have in the forward department. On paper, many would expect them to be the top scorers in England but the execution on the pitch has left a lot to be desired.