Manchester United finally took advantage of their top four rivals slipping up this weekend by defeating Middlesbrough 3-1 at the Riverside to move up to fifth in the Premier League table going into the international break.
Marouane Fellaini opened the scoring for Jose Mourinho's side on the half hour mark before a stunning strike from Jesse Lingard doubled United's lead.
Rudy Gestede pulled a goal for the hosts to set up a tense finish to the game but Antonio Valencia put the game to bed in injury time after a slip by Victor Valdes.
Player Ratings
The defence
David de Gea - 6: The Spanish keeper had yet another solid game in goal for United. When called upon during the game he did it with ease and could do nothing with the goal that Boro did score. De Gea impressed in the latter stages when United were under pressure by coming out of his goal and claiming the ball with authority to take the pressure of his defenders.
Antonio Valencia - 7: It's very rare that Valencia ever has a bad game and yet again he showed his pace and power for United. Valencia's performance was rewarded with his first goal for United since 2014 and if he keeps up the good performances then he has a great chance of winning player of the year this season.
Eric Bailly - 5: Bailly played as United's right back during the game and he wasn't comfortable at all. The defender, who has won over loads of United fans since joining in the summer, was out of position a couple of times during the game which could have led to more problems for the United defence.
Overall though he will only improve giving more time in a different position in the team.
Chris Smalling - 4: Smalling does alot of good things in defence for United in terms of winning lots of headers but now and again he switches off and he was at fault for the Middlesbrough goal when he failed to clear the ball and Gestede put the ball into the net.
Hopefully the defender can put that behind him and try and regain his good form from last season.
Phil Jones - 6: Jones started the game sloppily but improved as the game went on and made a crucial challenge late on to deny Alvaro Negredo from scoring an equaliser.
Jones will be hoping now he is back in the team that he can rediscover his form from before he got injured a few weeks ago.
Ashley Young - 7: Young was asked to play in a wing back role and he performed brilliantly throughout the game. The winger, who has barely played this season, was asked to do a job which he did and he created the first goal for United with a brilliant cross which Fellaini headed into the net. Young has really given Mourinho some food for thought as he showed he can be trusted when he is called on.
The midfield
Michael Carrick - 6: Carrick was brought back into the team after a couple of games on the bench and right from the start of the game he showed his calmness that United really needed. Once again United won a game with him in the team which just shows the quality of the midfielder given his age.
Marouane Fellaini - 7: Fellaini, who is wildly criticised by some United fans, showed his quality for United by scoring the all important opening goal in the first half of the game. Fellaini also was important for the team when it came to defending long balls into the box by Boro as they tried to get their big strikers into the game.
The attack
Juan Mata - 6: Mata once again showed his quality for United by playing loads of nice passes and he was unlucky to not get an assist or two during the game.
The midfielder came off in the 69th minute as Mourinho wanted to bring on another defender in order to defend any long balls into the box late on.
Jesse Lingard - 8: Lingard was the man of match for United on the day as his pace caused the Boro defenders problems all game. The midfielder capped off a fantastic game with a brilliant strike into the top corner of the net from outside the box after the hour mark.
Lingard is a player that many United fans don't want in the team but he showed what he was all about and why Mourinho continues to pick him.
Marcus Rashford - 6: Rashford led the line for United during the game in place of the suspended Zlatan Ibrahimovic and he did a very good job for the team.
The striker should have scored a couple of goals in the game. Rashford though will only get better over time and imporve his decision making.
The substitutes:
Marcos Rojo - 6: The Argentinean came on in the 69th minute of the game to replace Mata and helped the team stay strong defensively to come away with the crucial win.
Anthony Martial - 4: Martial returned after a couple of games out with injury and barely had anytime to make any kind of impact after coming on for Lingard in the 80th minute, who went off with an ankle injury.
Matteo Darmian - N/A: Darmian came on in the 94th minute for Rashford as Mourinho tried to run down time at the end of the game.