Those advocates of the leagues within leagues theory concerning the Premiership were given some persuasive new evidence yesterday when two clubs who spent £20 million over the summer between them still contrived to look like poverty stricken relatives of those at the top of the table. Manchester United are only three miles away from Maine Road but it felt like a distance measurable in light years.
This was a stunningly bad match, one that improved after half-time simply because it could not get any worse. Paulo Wanchope was the principal witness to the proceedings, failing to mark Gianluca Festa in the 55th minute, but Wanchope then redeemed himself by scoring the equaliser 12 minutes later, his fourth goal in six games.
It was the third game in a row that Middlesbrough lost a lead and in this case it was more annoying to Bryan Robson as the goal came from a free-kick moved forward 10 yards under the new rule.
"It was a battle," said Viv Anderson predictably. He then offered injuries to Alen Boksic, Christian Karembeu and Gary Pallister in mitigation. "It was a total non-event," said Joe Royle.
That was a reference to the first half but then maybe none should be surprised at its wretchedness. The day began with City in 16th place and Middlesbrough in 17th, the latter having won one of their five games. City would be satisfied with finishing 15th at the end of the season but for Boro and Robson something more is required - a sign that Robson has a vision of what he wants and that he knows how to extract it from a disparate group of players thrown together from various parts of the globe. What Joseph-Desire Job, a Cameroon international, makes of Brian Deane for example, would be worth hearing.
Job's occasional deftness hinted at a useful inside forward, Deane's occasional touches hinted at woodwork. It was Job who Robson took off. In a truly dire opening Job had the first shot on target from either side - a weak one in the 24th minute - and it was another 20y minutes before City managed the same, from Wanchope.
In the absence of any football the focus zoomed in on various penalty claims and some low-level violence. Boro's Colin Cooper was centrally involved in this, pulling the shirt off George Weah at a Mark Kennedy free-kick and then flattening Wanchope with a stiff outstretched arm. Cooper was booked for the second offence, but got away with the first. The match had to improve after the interval and thankfully it did. This was not due to a significant rise in the quality of play but at least there were a few chances. First Weah shrugged off the lethargy which had gripped him with a swift turn and powerful shot. And then Festa gave Boro a scarcely deserved lead with his 12-yard header from Andy Campbell's corner.
One corner, one header, one goal, Maine Road sensed an injustice. City tried to respond, Ian Bishop came on to inject some accuracy into the home passing, but there little else coherent on offer. Gradually, though, the pressure grew, and when Jason Gavin, composed for much of the afternoon, cleared a Alfie Haaland free-kick, Danny Tiatto lobbed the ball back in.
Wanchope looked offside but was on and he threw out one of his long, long legs. Gary Walsh, Boro's on-loan keeper, rushed off his line but was left clutching air by Wanchope's intervention.
Walsh did rather better four minutes later when tipping a Weah header onto the crossbar and may also have got a slight deflection on Jeff Whitley's 76th minute drive as City went in search of a winner. It never came. Both teams still jumped over Chelsea, though.
MANCHESTER CITY: Weaver, Whitley, Howey, Prior, Ritchie, Weah (Dickov 73), Haaland, Wiekens (Tiatto 33), Horlock (Bishop 59), Wanchope, Kennedy. Subs not used: Wright, Crooks. Booked: Wanchope, Tiatto. Goal: Wanchope 67.
MIDDLESBROUGH: Walsh, Fleming, Festa, Mustoe, Ince, Deane, O'Neill, Job (Ricard 45), Campbell (Whelan 84), Cooper, Gavin. Subs not used: Gordon, Summerbell, Bennion. Booked: O'Neill, Cooper, Gavin, Ricard, Ince. Goal: Festa 55. Attendance: 32,053.
Referee: S Lodge (Barnsley).
