Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate has admitted he feared being dragged into a fight for Premier League survival months ago.The Teessiders head into Saturday's clash at home to FA Cup finalists Portsmouth knowing victory would secure their top-flight status and allow everyone within the club to breathe a huge sigh of relief.

Anything less could make for an uncomfortable final week of the campaign with Manchester City due at the Riverside Stadium next Sunday, although results elsewhere this weekend could yet make Boro's irrelevant.

However, Southgate is leaving nothing to chance as he prepares his players for one of the most important games since he became manager.

He said: "We know there is a job to be done and we want to do that against Portsmouth this Saturday.

"The possibility has been in my mind since September-October, having started the way we started, that we could find ourselves in this sort of situation.

"We had a little cushion which we have had to use in the last couple of weeks, but it is still all in our hands.

"What we have got to do is make sure our performance against Portsmouth on Saturday is one that shows everybody how much it means to us to stay in this league."

Boro might have been safe weeks ago, but successive defeats by Bolton and derby rivals Sunderland have left them perched just above the clubs scrapping for their lives.

Indeed, they have taken just two points from their last four games, and the fact that they came from draws at home to Champions League finalists Manchester United and away at Tottenham have highlighted the inconsistency which has cost them dearly throughout the season.

However, Southgate takes a philosophical view and knows the job has to be completed before the inquest begins in earnest.

He said: "Whether we are frustrated or disappointed - and we are probably both - we are where we are and we have got two games, and a game on Saturday in particular, to sort ourselves out.

"People at other clubs wouldn't be unduly surprised we are in this situation, and nobody is going to help us except ourselves.

"It's for us to sort out this weekend."

Boro could be boosted by the returns of keeper Mark Schwarzer and Ross Turnbull from back injuries.

Schwarzer missed the Sunderland game while Turnbull was only fit enough to be named among the substitutes as Brad Jones was handed a rare start.

There could be a return too for striker Jeremie Aliadiere, who sat out at the Stadium of Light with a dead leg, although with front two Afonso Alves and Tuncay both having scored on Wearside, he could find himself lining up wide on the right once again.

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