Former Cardiff City and Middlesbrough manager Neil Warnock has revealed that he would not swap any of Boro's defenders for Manchester United's.
Warnock has made the admission ahead of United and Middlesbrough going head-to-head in the FA Cup at Old Trafford next month after both sides came through their respective third-round ties.
United edged past Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Monday evening, securing a 1-0 win through Scott McTominay's eighth-minute header, whilst Middlesbrough got the better of League Two side Mansfield Town on Saturday, winning 3-2, with a last-gasp own-goal securing their place in the next round.
Although United will be strong favourites to get the better of the Championship outfit, Warnock, who left the Riverside club in November, being replaced by Chris Wilder, has suggested that his old side has a chance of causing a major FA Cup upset, admitting that he wouldn't replace any of Middlesbrough's back-three with any of the Reds' current crop of defenders.
"They've got great individuals but not a team and I don't see that coming," Warnock told talkSPORT.
"They've got my old team, Middlesbrough, in the next round of the FA Cup and I wouldn't swap any of their defenders for the back-three at Middlesbrough – Dael Fry, Anfernee Dijksteel and Paddy McNair.
"I think they're better than Man United's defence."
Although United skipper Harry Maguire played no part in the win over Villa because of injury, he could feature in the next round against Middlesbrough, prompting Warnock to assess the England defender's recent struggles.
For the former Middlesbrough chief, United interim boss Ralf Rangnick needs to put an arm round the centre-back.
"The team at the moment, it looks like they all look after themselves," Warnock added. "Harry Maguire's the captain but I think he needs help at times. I think they've got a major problem at the moment.
"For me it's more of an arm round in an office job. It's not his physical aspect, it's just like everything in life is against him at the minute.
"If you're a manager you should have your finger on the pulse. You can tell he's not happy, he's not doing this and that, you've got to get him to one side and find out."
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