Source: Eurosport
Southgate: Work key to survival
Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate has had his players working overtime in a bid to keep the club in the Premier League.
Boro are currently second-bottom, five points behind fourth-bottom Sunderland, but Southgate is well aware victory against Hull at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday will revive their survival hopes.
That is why the Boro players were asked to give up their normal day off on Wednesday to maintain an intensive build-up to the relegation six-pointer that Boro desperately need to win.Southgate said:
"We have had a good week in training. We got the players in on their usual day off, not as a punishment for the defeat at Bolton last weekend but because it was important we worked on certain things.
"We've done that and now it's all about putting the things we have worked on into practice on the pitch on Saturday.
"We know the importance of the game. We need to win it. That's what we are working towards. We have to do everything right over the 90 minutes of the game because we know it will be tough.
"Hull will come here to give it their best shot. They've sold a lot of tickets and they'll have plenty of backing from their fans. We have to make sure we are better than Hull on the day."
Boro have won only one of their last 19 Premier League games - against title challengers Liverpool - and need to put together a run of results if they are to have any chance of staying up.
They must also improve their goalscoring record - with only 22 goals from 31 games, they are the lowest scorers in the Premier League by a wide margin.
Southgate said: "By necessity, we have to attack. We can't throw everybody forward willy-nilly but we have to make sure that we attack when the opportunity is there and that we create chances.
"We know that Hull will come here tight and organised and will do everything they can to try to stop us from scoring.
"We also know that we haven't scored enough goals this season. But we have to score if we want to stay up and that's why we have to attack.
"We have looked a bit of a threat going forward lately but we have conceded some disappointing goals, particularly at Bolton.
"We've been working to try to stop that happening again and now we have to show the pride and the passion to win the three points on Saturday.
"We're missing Gary O'Neil through suspension and so the midfield is a bit of a concern but it's not about formations or the players we play.
"It's about attitude and application and having that determination in our performance to win the game."
Southgate will welcome a couple of Boro old boys back to the Riverside in Nick Barmby and George Boateng.
Southgate said: "I played with Nick with England and he's a great lad. He's also an excellent pro. He was a top player with clubs like Liverpool and Tottenham and he has helped them to be successful.
"Now he is back with his home-town club and he will be determined to do everything he can to keep them in the Premier League.
"There's also George. He was at Middlesbrough during a very successful period for the club.
"I know that he has been injured but that he is close to coming back again so we'll enjoy meeting up with him again after the game.
"I just hope that it isn't a happy return for them. We have it in our power to make sure it isn't."
