United boss Neil Warnock reckons his side will come up against genuine promotion contenders at Middlesbrough on Sunday (12.15pm).

Boro are currently fourth in the table, six points behind the automatic promotion spots, and they have a home record that has seen just three defeats, seven wins, and eight draws.

"Middlesbrough, as a club, have calmed down," said the United boss. "Tony (Mowbray) is a steady manager and he has brought good signings in. They won't be far away.

"Listening to Tony's comments, they possibly need a bit of consistency. But if that is all they are missing then they aren't doing badly, are they?

"If they get that right in the last few games then they have a hell of a chance.

"They are the sort of side we need to take points off. I felt the same against Hull and against Southampton.

"They will be expecting to beat us with the league positions but it is a derby and I am sure we will take our full quota of supporters.

"It would be nice to give those fans something to shout about going forward.

"We have sorted one or two problems out at the back but that hasn't stopped us creating. We just made bad decisions against Hull in the final third."