All the footprints you've ever left and fear expecting ahead (Boro)

Boro. Tricky fixture. "Weakened team?" The more I think about it, the more it maybe makes sense, not only with the upcoming Arsenal game, and the fact that this is the 60th game of the campaign. With maybe Scholes and Giggs as well, maybe sprucing up the team with some young players could actually work to our advantage, no memories of the infamous 4-1, no fear.
So I'm still pretty confident of us getting the result, and hopeful we'll put in a performance. Having seen Boro a few times this season, and every time they were absolutely dreadful, admittedly I missed them beating Liverpool, but hopefully they won't be raising their game in a similar way today. And even if they do, well, we ARE better than Liverpool...
I like this description of the Riverside:

"a stadium marooned on the bleak wastelands of Teesside"

Perhaps it is this that makes our record there less than good, although, when you look at it (via the magic of the BBC website) it's not as bad as it's cracked up to be, or I seem to remember it:

The Teessiders have won just one of the last nine Premier League matches against the Red Devils; the victory being 4-1 at the Riverside on 29 October 2005.

Unbeaten in 18 Premier League games against North-East clubs, since Middlesbrough's 4-1 home win on 29 October 2005, and picked up 17 of the last 21 points available in the North-East.

And add to that (and this is just another way to have a go at Liverpool) the fact that:

[Boro have] Won one of the last 12 against the 'Big Four' (Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United ); that being 2-0, home to Liverpool in their most recent fixture against such opposition on 28 February. That victory over the Merseysiders was also their only maximum in nine Premier League games against North-West opposition.

So there you go, 3 points in the bag...
Team selection: The Mirror report that:

With Rio Ferdinand out with a rib injury, Jonny Evans will partner Nemanja Vidic in central defence, while the Da Silva twins - Rafael and Fabio - will take the full-back roles.

The Evans thing is everywhere, but I haven't read the other bit anywhere else. Let's assume they're right though, it would make sense. The midfield, we'll assume Scholes and probably Giggs will start, Nani on the left, getting another chance, can see Welbeck on the right with Berbatov and Possibly Macheda up front. Speculation is ultimately pointless, but this team doesn't look bad, a good blend of experience and youth. Park could even come in on the right rather than Welbeck, Welbeck and Macheda upfront? This could go on endlessly. So i'll stop. M point is that whatever team we play, it should be good enough.
Prediction. I'll go for it here - an early goal for us, Boro's confidence goes out the window, we win comfortably 3-0.
Sorted.