United relying on growing spirit for FA Cup tie

LONDON, Mar 10 (Reuters) Manchester United's growing team spirit will make up for all their absentees in today's FA Cup quarter-final at Middlesbrough, said manager Alex Ferguson.

United are without playmaker Paul Scholes due to suspension while injuries have sidelined defender Mikael Silvestre, midfielder Darren Fletcher and forwards Louis Saha and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Ferguson believed the morale and desire for victory which enabled the Premier League leaders to score late winning goals at Fulham and Liverpool in recent weeks would see them through at the Riverside.

''They (Middlesbrough) will be positive because they've got a home draw and will think they can win,'' Ferguson told reporters.

''However, there is a great resolve among our players, you saw that at Liverpool and Fulham.

''There's no doubt that as the season goes on the team spirit is growing. It should be a fantastic Cup tie and we'll be taking a very strong squad.'' Despite the odds being stacked against a side who are 12th in the table, coach Gareth Southgate was upbeat about Middlesbrough's chances.

''We've had some good results against them in the past and that gives us confidence we can go into the game with belief,'' said Southgate.

''We've performed against them in big matches and there's no reason we can't do it again.'' Boro have beaten United three times at the Riverside in the last five years, winning 4-1 in a league game in October 2005, 3-1 in the league in December 2002 and 2-0 in an FA Cup fourth-round tie in January 2002.

REUTERS SAM BD1039