In the absence of Wayne Rooney, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Louis Saha, Smith was asked to lead the front line on his own and responded with a tremendous individual display.

The blonde striker instigated United’s opener after nine minutes with a terrific first-time ball to Ryan Giggs, whose shot was saved with the rebound falling to Darren Fletcher.

For the remaining 81 minutes, Smith terrorised the Boro defence with his running, passing and tackling back.

He was denied a deserved goal by Mark Schwarzer and nearly forced Colin Cooper into conceding an own goal.

"Alan really came through when United needed him," said England’s 1982 World Cup skipper Mick Mills, part of our Lion of the Weekend panel.

"The modern game requires strikers to do more than score goals and it was a delightful pass that sent Giggs away in the first half."

Smith was voted man-of-the-match and believes he could still celebrate his first season at Old Trafford with a Premiership winners’ medal.

"The squad is big enough and good enough," he insists.

Lion of the Season - Total nominations so far

Stewart Downing 3 (08 Nov, 18 Oct, 04 Oct)
Shaun Wright-Phillips 3 (25 Oct, 16 Aug, 22 Nov)

Michael Owen 2 (01 Nov, 30 Aug)
John Terry 2 (29 Nov, 13 Dec)
Alan Smith 2 (23 Aug, 04 Jan)

Wayne Rooney 1 (15 Nov)
Ashley Cole 1 (27 Sept)
Rio Ferdinand 1 (11 Oct)
Ledley King 1 (20 Sept)
Steven Gerrard 1 (06 Sept)
David James 1 (13 Sept)
Frank Lampard 1 (06 Dec)
Jermain Defoe 1 (20 Dec)

* Every Monday TheFA.com announces the outstanding England player from the weekend’s matches, selected with the help of a former England international.

Lion of the Weekend is chosen by five former England internationals Alan Mullery, Russell Osman, Mick Mills, Malcolm Macdonald and Paul Parker.

The player with the most votes at the end of the season will be crowned Lion of the Season.