Premier League - Defiant Southgate vows to fight on

Eurosport - Tue, 12 May 14:01:00 2009

Gareth Southgate insists Middlesbrough will fight on after their Premier League future was left hanging by a thread following a damaging 3-1 defeat by relegation rivals Newcastle United.

Newcastle's management team of Iain Dowie and Alan Shearer watch on, as Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate in the background. - 0

Late goals from substitutes Obafemi Martins and Peter Lovenkrands sealed a dramatic come-from-behind victory for the hosts in a full-blooded Tyne-Tees derby.

Newcastle's first home win for months lifts them out of the bottom three at the expense of Hull City and gives Alan Shearer's side renewed hope of retaining their top flight status.

But it's a different story for Middlesbrough, whose 11th straight away defeat means they remain three points adrift of safety with just two games remaining, the first at home to Aston Villa on Saturday before they travel to West Ham on Sunday week.

And they will be without record signing Afonso Alves who was stretchered off in the first half after suffering a suspected broken foot.

Boro took an early lead through an Habib Beye own goal, but Steven Taylor equalised almost immediately to leave the second-bottom club needing back-to-back wins to have any hope of avoiding the drop into the Championship.

The last time Middlesbrough achieved such a feat was August, and Southgate admitted: "We have to lift ourselves even though it's out of our hands and we're relying on other results.

"I still believe I'm the right man to take this club forward and I won't be walking away from it. We're still in it. Only when it's mathematically impossible will we down tools but we're definitely not giving up the fight."

Shearer's first victory in his sixth game as interim manager gives Newcastle hope of prolonging their 16-year stay in the Premier League, but the 38-year-old refused to take credit for his inspired substitutions.

He said: "It's a magnificent feeling to come out on top in such an important game. The players were brilliant and I asked them to show courage and determination and the ability they've got.

"It would have been easy to feel sorry for themselves after going a goal down but there were some big performances from some big men.

Newcastle host Fulham on Saturday before travelling to Villa on the final weekend and Shearer added: "I've asked them for three huge performances and that's the first of three. It's a first step towards safety.

"We've got to go and do it again against Fulham when it will be just as tough.

Reuters

Comment 1 - 19 of 19

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  1. Comment one............ are you on drugs??

    From ctbee3, on Thu 14 May 12:33PM

  2. "fANTASTIC!!....BYE BYE BORO...CAN'T WAIT TO­ WAVE GOODBYE TO YOU FROM THE MANCHESTER­ BLUE."
    What an idiot. The person who wrote this­ probably is still upset after the ABSOLUTE murdering of­ the man city scum at the end of the season last year.­ Lets face it Middlesbrough were just better than you­ that day. GET OVER IT.

    From alex_davis_9, on Thu 14 May 2:00AM

  3. Someone at Middlesbrough must have really upset­ Southgate, thats why he keeps threatening to stay. At­ least we will be visiting some different grounds next­ season.

    From Mark, on Tue 12 May 10:15PM

  4. middlesbrough should have won yesterday but they didnt­ and i agree we need a striker because the amount of­ chances emnes missed were unreal. i think that if we­ had aliadiere on longer maybe he could have created­ some chances and i also think that southgate should­ have let adam johnson start he is way better than­ downing although i think downing is on a downer this­ season he could do much better because we hav seen him­ do better. anyway come on boro prove everyone wrong and­ stay in the pl hopefully

    From smiley123, on Tue 12 May 5:05PM

  5. The boys from Newcastle showed a good attitude, and­ probably deserved the win from the second half­ performance. Middlesboro would easily have won if they­ had half a striker on the field. They certainly know­ how to pass the ball around the penalty box but seem to­ forget which direction the goal posts are. Hull will­ definately go down because they have the wrath of man­ utd to come.

    From allanbarry1, on Tue 12 May 11:05AM
  6. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    ur both goin down with west brom ur @#$% and were going­ to win the prem oh yes mufc

    From stephen, on Tue 12 May 10:47AM

  7. A little too late I am afraid.

    From Half A Brain, on Tue 12 May 10:33AM

  8. Lomoro, you do not have a clue about football !

    From Geoff, on Tue 12 May 10:10AM

  9. hemingway_paul
    what on earth are you talking­ about!!!!
    Paul h
    watch you don't choke on them sour­ grapes!
    Did you see SJP last night - THAT is real­ support!!!!

    From cameron w, on Tue 12 May 10:04AM

  10. katie and peter ehhh???...BET HARVEY DIDN'T SEE­ THAT ONE COMING!!!

    From niklasvilhelmrejstrom, on Tue 12 May 9:54AM

  11. Martins' performance showed clearly that Michael­ Owen isn't yet back to his best. I hope Shearer­ has the courage to start with Martins and Viduka­ against Fulham, assuming Martins is fully fit by then. ­ It's a match Newcastle can win, if they go about it­ like they did last night, with not a ball unchased: and­ winning it will make survival certain,

    From Sarah, on Tue 12 May 8:47AM

  12. "f only Newcastle can fight like they did last­ night,­ they can survive the relegation battle. They­ really­ showed what it means to be confident and their­ passing­ of the ball, drive power and the pace was so­ good that­ they could beat even the top­ four."

    Er... hang on, beating Middlesbrough is­ not the same as beating Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal or­ Liverpool! Don't equate being the less bad of two­ bad sides as being good! I was watching the match, and­ both teams were just awful. Newcastle scraped it­ because their strikers weren't bad enough to miss­ from six yards (cough cough Emnes).

    From AR WB, on Tue 12 May 8:43AM

  13. Bye Bye Boro..... Please please please, we need to sack­ Southgate and build for next season. Hopefully we can­ keep a few players and return to the Premier League­ after 1 season.

    From francis8985, on Tue 12 May 8:39AM

  14. he he he two very poor teams just the soggies a little­ poorer . just wish it was sunderland instead .surely­ southgate must go if you areb to come back up

    From Allan, on Tue 12 May 8:38AM

  15. lucky scum, on the whole seasons form, they will still­ go down, they've got false hopes...

    From Paul, on Tue 12 May 8:37AM

  16. What about Joe Kinnear? He helped Newcastle until his­ unfortunate heart attack.

    From Tom..., on Tue 12 May 8:33AM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    fANTASTIC!!....BYE BYE BORO...CAN'T WAIT TO WAVE­ GOODBYE TO YOU FROM THE MANCHESTER BLUE.

    From Chris W, on Tue 12 May 8:27AM

  18. Yes, but they didn't play Liverpool or Man Utd -­ they played Middlesborough

    From hemingway_paul, on Tue 12 May 8:14AM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    If only Newcastle can fight like they did last night,­ they can survive the relegation battle. They really­ showed what it means to be confident and their passing­ of the ball, drive power and the pace was so good that­ they could beat even the top four.
    Biva Alan Shearer,­ Premier league for next season is your full and­ deserved credit. I believe next season you will not be­ fighting such again. Good luck though I was disturbed­ when Newcastle drew with United on the first day.

    From Lomoro, on Tue 12 May 7:41AM
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