The apprentice came so close to beating his former master but as Jose Mourinho and Aitor Karanka embraced on the touchline it was the Manchester United coach who was able to smile. Two goals in two minutes secured a fifth successive victory for United and by the end Old Trafford was rocking with the same kind of vigour heard so often during Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign.

Ferguson was in the stands on his 75th birthday and will have gone home to celebrate the new year a happy man. This was a compelling match and one in which Middlesbrough played a valiant part, but United’s win was deserved.

Grant Leadbitter had put Boro ahead against the run of play with a fine goal in the 67th minute and Victor Valdes then produced some heroics to keep United at bay until the closing stages.

Ibrahimovic was left incredulous by referee Mason's decision to rule out his goal (Getty)

In the end the pressure told, Marcus Rashford’s introduction proving pivotal before Anthony Martial and Paul Pogba overturned the deficit to cap a memorable comeback in the first game between Mourinho and Karanka as managers.

United were left wondering how on earth they were not ahead at half-time. Mourinho’s side dominated a first-half in which they twice hit the post and had a goal unjustly ruled out when referee Lee Mason denied Ibrahimovic a fine effort.

Middlesbrough defended well and looked to attack on the counter, with Adama Traore the usual outlet. Traore can be both dynamic and frustrating in a matter of minutes, able to bamboozle defenders with his pace and skill but often let down by the final product.

Mourinho's side started the second half slowly (Getty)

That was evidenced after just three minutes as the Spaniard retrieved the ball in central midfield and charged forward in a three-on-one attack for Boro. Traore had options left and right but eventually released a scuffed toe-poke shot that bobbled through to David De Gea.

There were howls of frustration from the travelling Middlesbrough supporters but Traore demonstrated his dribbling ability once again in the 18th minute when beating Daley Blind comprehensively and hanging a ball to the far post where George Friend eventually had a shot blocked by Fellaini.

Other than that it was all United, who played some impressive stuff despite Michael Carrick’s absence through illness and with five changes made to the starting line-up. Chris Smalling and Eric Bailly started as centre-halves, while Anthony Martial and Henrikh Mkhitaryan particularly impressed during the first period.

Leadbitter drove a low shot past De Gea to open the scoring at Old Trafford (Getty)

Paul Pogba hit a post with an acrobatic bicycle kick from Mkhitaryan’s header across goal and Martial found the same woodwork again with a powerful 25-yard drive in the 38th minute which had Victor Valdes well beaten.

From the follow up came the controversy of Ibrahimovic’s disallowed goal. Martial drove to the by-line down the left and clipped the ball inside towards the Swede, who produced a remarkably agile leap to finish with his right foot. It seemed a legitimate and fair effort, until referee Mason saw Valdes lying on the turf and penalised Ibrahimovic for a high boot.

United were made to pay in the second half with a brilliantly-worked goal from Boro. Shortly after bringing on Juan Mata and Marcos Rojo for Fellaini and Blind, Callum Chambers found space down the right and curled a cross in towards Alvaro Negredo. He cushioned a precise header down for Leadbitter who kept his composure to fire low past De Gea.

Pogba headed home late on to seal an unlikely three points (AFP)

It was a fine goal but one that prompted further United pressure. Valdes charged out to deny Ibrahimovic with an excellent save, before Rashford was brought on to inject further pace. He made an immediate impact and there were cries for a penalty in the 78th minute when he went down in the area under the challenge of Espinosa Bernardo.

Valdes was in fine form but he could not stop the relentless tide. A long ball was punted forward to Ibrahimovic and when his cushioned header found Martial, the finish from the Frenchman was emphatic.

Just one minute later and the comeback was complete, Pogba guiding Mata’s cross past Valdes with a looping header to seal the win.

Teams

Manchester United (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Valencia, Smalling (Rashford 72), Bailly, Blind (Rojo 64); Herrera; Fellaini (Mata 64), Mkhitaryan, Pogba, Martial; Ibrahimovic.

Subs not used: Jones, Lingard, Romero, Schweinsteiger.

Middlesbrough (4-1-4-1): Valdes; Friend, Gibson, Chambers, Bernardo; De Roon; Leadbitter (Clayton 78), Forshaw, Downing (Ramirez 63), Traore (Fabio 82); Negredo.

Subs not used: Ayala, Rhodes, Guzan, Stuani.

Referee: Lee Mason