Chris Wilder tells Middlesbrough players to forget about swapping shirts against Manchester United as they eye FA Cup upset at Old Trafford

Boro take on Manchester United in the fourth round of the FA Cup, aiming to kick off the last 32 action with an upset.

Tomorrow's opponents haven't played since a late win over West Ham United on January 22 while Wilder's side have played twice since that date - losing to Blackburn Rovers and beating Coventry City in the Championship.

Wilder - who managed Sheffield United to victory at Old Trafford in the Premier League last season - is under no illusions about the task facing his side.

However, he has told his players to forget about swapping shirts after the game and only worry about making matters uncomfortable for their hosts.

“They’ve got some fabulous individuals and they can hurt you – but hurt three-quarters of the Premier League, if not more, and in Europe as well. They have a huge array of talent to choose from," said Wilder.

“But it’s not a sightseeing tour from our players, it’s not a shirt-swapping situation. I don’t want people to go into Old Trafford and enjoy the visit.

“I want the players to play well, I want us to give a good account of ourselves and make it really competitive, make it a dangerous night for Manchester United – and if we play well, I believe we can do.

“If we don’t, then it will be a comfortable night for Manchester United and nobody wants that, me included.”

If things go Wilder and Middlesbrough's way in the Championship this season, they will be back at Old Trafford next campaign for a league fixture.

Boro are seventh in the table but only sit outside the play-off places on goal difference, with strong recruitment in January leaving them well-placed to mount a promotion challenge.

He continued: "It’s an opportunity to pit ourselves against world-class players and a world-class football club that’s at the top table and wants to challenge for major honours.

“Every opportunity is an opportunity to measure and see how far we’ve come. This is where we want to be.

“Of course the club has had Premier League experience and the players want to go to Old Trafford and Anfield and the Emirates and the Etihad every other week and they want to host every club in the Premier League and be part of that.

“That’s where everybody wants to be and that has got to be a target and an ambition for everybody at the football club to try to achieve.”