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Darren Fletcher and Ryan Giggs grabbed the goals that enabled Manchester United to maintain their relentless pursuit of Chelsea and Arsenal with a comfortable win over Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.

United took control of the match from the start and Cristiano Ronaldo rattled a post before Fletcher fired them into a ninth-minute lead.

And although Boro, woeful in the first half, roused themselves after the break they rarely threatened and the in-form Giggs finished them off when his toe poke deflected in off Colin Cooper 11 minutes from time.

Giggs was on the scoresheet for the third successive match and their fourth win on the trot - after earlier wins by leaders Chelsea and champions Arsenal - meant third-placed United did not lose any ground in the title race.

United's eighth win in their last nine league games, which left them nine points adrift of Chelsea and four behind Arsenal, never looked in doubt.

The only black note for the Red Devils was a second-half injury to Ronaldo, the Portuguese winger unable to continue after a bodycheck that earned Ray Parlour a booking.

Sir Alex Ferguson, with Wayne Rooney suspended and Ruud van Nistelrooy, Louis Saha and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer injured, will be hoping Ronaldo is not sidelined too.

United, with Giggs and Ronaldo offering wide support to targetman Alan Smith, controlled the game with their slick passing and Boro endured a night of frustration.

United were without Rooney, who began a three-match suspension for thrusting his hand in the face of Bolton's Tal Ben Haim while Boro, with Mark Viduka still sidelined by injury, started with Joseph-Desire Job and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink up front.

Doriva made only his third start of the season in the Boro midfield but United held all the aces in midfield with Paul Scholes, Roy Keane and Fletcher using the ball intelligently.

United started brightly and Ronaldo had squandered two early chances.]

He shot tamely straight at Mark Schwarzer when Keane kept Phil Neville's free-kick in play and cut the ball back to the edge of the six yard box.

Then Ronaldo found himself unmarked and onside when Scholes' shot deflected off a Boro defender into his path but while his low shot beat Schwarzer it cannoned to safety off the base of the near post.

But Boro's reprieve was short-lived. Giggs combined neatly with Smith and although Schwarzer parried the Welshman's drive Fletcher was on hand to tuck away the rebound.

United continued to dominate and midway through the first half Boro had barely strung two passes together, let alone threatened the United goal.

Boudewijn Zenden offered Boro's first threat with a long-range effort which whistled just over Roy Carroll's crossbar.

England hopeful Stewart Downing managed to provide a couple of dangerous early crosses but Boro's frontmen were slow to react.

United had a promising free-kick just outside the Boro box when Gareth Southgate sent Smith tumbling but Ronaldo wastefully scooped his effort over the bar.

Boro boss Steve McClaren introduced Szilard Nemeth for Job at the start of the second half in a bid to perk up a lifeless attack.

Phil Neville escaped punishment from referee Alan Wiley after clattering into the back of Downing before Nemeth made an impact by forcing a 50th-minute corner.

Downing's delivery was poor but when United failed to clear the Boro youngster had a chance to cross and Hasselbaink, under pressure from Gabriel Heinze, headed over from eight yards.

Cooper dived to head behind for a corner with Smith lurking when Ronaldo whipped in a dangerous cross from the right byline.

Boro lifted their fans with a good spell which ended with Franck Queudrue heading over from another Downing corner.

Boro were winning tackles and enjoying more possession now but United were getting behind the ball, closing down space and defending sensibly.

Parlour was booked for a cynical shoulder charge which prevented Ronaldo bursting clear down the left wing.

Ronaldo needed treatment as a result of the challenge and United warmed up Eric Djemba-Djemba.

Boro introduced James Morrison for Doriva in the 77th minute and Djemba-Djemba came on for Ronaldo.

Two minutes later Djemba-Djemba's pass found Giggs in the box and his toe poke deflected in off Cooper to wrap up the points for United.

Giggs made way for David Bellion eight minutes from time as United boss Sir Alex Ferguson protected his in-form winger ahead of the home game with Tottenham on Tuesday.

Teams
Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Reiziger, Southgate, Cooper, Queudrue, Parlour, Doriva (Morrison 78), Zenden, Downing, Hasselbaink, Job (Nemeth 45).

Subs Not Used: Nash, Davies, McMahon.

Booked: Parlour.

Man Utd: Carroll, Phil Neville, Ferdinand, Silvestre, Heinze, Ronaldo (Djemba-Djemba 78), Fletcher, Scholes, Keane, Giggs (Bellion 83), Smith.

Subs Not Used: Howard, Gary Neville, Spector.

Goals: Fletcher 9, Giggs 79.

Att: 34,199

Ref: A Wiley (Staffordshire).