Manchester - Wes Brown believes the strength of Manchester United's attacking options can mask the current defensive crisis and keep Sir Alex Ferguson's side on course to claim the Premiership title.
England international Brown has played a central role in a patched-up back-four missing three of Ferguson's first-choice defenders.
Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic have all been missing, together with Mikael Silvestre, forcing United manager Ferguson to ring the changes at a crucial stage of the season.
The midweek win over Sheffield United ensured the Old Trafford club maintained a three-point advantage of Chelsea with five games remaining.
But with Jose Mourinho's side matching United win for win, Brown accepts that any slip will hand the advantage back to the London club, particularly as Ferguson's side must travel to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on May 9th.
But the defender believes the form of United's forward players - including Wayne Rooney whose midweek goal took his season haul to a personal best of 21 - is good enough to overcome the current injury concerns.
"The lads are helping each other and playing out of positions but doing excellently," Brown said.
"Tuesday night's defence was not one we have been used to this season, but everyone did well and we are happy that we kept a clean sheet in those circumstances.
"There is confidence here because the attacking players we have are playing unbelievably well at the moment.
"It's the same in midfield, so we know we that if we keep it safe at the back, we will win games.
"We have five games to go and we are looking to win every one of them because if we do, we know we have won the league.
"Middlesbrough will be a tough game because they will get stuck into us, but we are at home and if we play as well as we can do, we can win the game."
Ferdinand could return to the squad to face Middlesbrough but with the Champions League semi-final against AC Milan looming next week, Ferguson will not risk the centre-back if there is any lingering doubt over his fitness.
For Middlesbrough, the daunting trip to Old Trafford follows quickly from the midweek defeat at Liverpool that ensured Gareth Southgate's side remain on the fringes of the relegation battle.
With just one win in their last eight league and cup games, Boro desperately need a lift and England winger Stewart Downing admitted they were hoping to take advantage of the growing pressure on United to claim all three points.
"I do not know whether it is a good thing or a bad thing to have Manchester United next - obviously they will be under pressure to get all three points, so maybe we can hit them on the break," Downing said.
"We have to pick ourselves up now because we have got to go to Old Trafford and look to be more positive.
"We have got some good results there in the past, but talk is cheap and we need to go there and show what we are capable of."