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BLACKBURN v MIDDLESBROUGH - WHATEVER IT TAKES SAYS SOUTHGATE
Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate will make no apologies for doing whatever it takes to drag his side up the Barclays Premiership table.
Southgate's men ground out a goalless draw at Everton on Boxing Day with a performance which won them few admirers on Merseyside but which handed them a fourth point in two games over the Christmas weekend.
It may not have been pretty, but it was enough to ease the Teessiders three points clear of West Ham in the final relegation place and deflect some of the attention on their plight as they head for Blackburn on Saturday.
Southgate, who has found himself under the spotlight since his appointment during the summer, knows that situation is likely to persist, but he will not let it get to him.
He said: "It would not matter who was in charge or what their position was, we are in the position we are in the league and that is going to bring the focus we are getting.
"I am used to performing under pressure, so being in the position we are in does not hold anything unusual for me.
"We would obviously like to be a lot higher than we are, but that would be a case of grinding out wins, or getting wins and getting points on the board and moving our way slowly up the table."
Boro had taken only six points from a possible 27 before their 2-0 home win over Charlton on December 23, so a return of four points from the last six is a welcome improvement.
However, Rovers bounced back from their 6-2 hammering at Arsenal with an excellent 1-0 win over Liverpool on Tuesday and the Teessiders will have to fight all the way to leapfrog them in the league table.
Southgate will look to re-shape his squad during the January transfer window, but will have to offload the existing dead wood first.
He knows it could be a tense time having had to work to up to the wire to land his summer recruits.
He said: "There is a need for change and the quicker we can make those changes, the better.
"But it is not an easy month in which to do business. The summer was difficult enough and January, because it is a shorter spell of time, will prove, I am sure, to be even harder.
"But it is important to make changes if it improves the club."
James Morrison missed out at Everton with a calf problem, and his manager will hope to have him back for the trip to Ewood Park.
By Bettingzone.co.uk
Used with permission.
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