Middlesbrough have rubbished reports they will combine forces with Newcastle and Sunderland to take legal action against Manchester United should the Premier League champions field a weakened side against Hull at the weekend, describing such rumours as “complete nonsense”.
The Sun newspaper claimed on Wednesday that the trio of North East rivals had held discussions over the possibility of taking action should United send out a second-string XI against Hull, upon whose result against The Red Devils – combined with their own outcome against West Ham – Boro’s hopes rest.
With United preparing for their Champions League final with Barcelona the following Wednesday, there have been suggestions Sir Alex Ferguson will rest a whole host of big-name players, especially now that his side have already secured the domestic title.
Boro's chief executive Keith Lamb said: "The story is a complete nonsense and blatantly untrue. Manchester United will pick their team, no one else.
"There have been no talks between Middlesbrough and any other club about what side Manchester United may field on Sunday.
"We would have told The Sun that was the case had they bothered to check the story out before printing it."
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