Source: Daily_Mail
Middlesbrough 0 Leicester 1: Dyer makes it dire for Boro's diehards
The last time Middlesbrough fans turned so viciously on their manager, Nigel Pearson was wearing the captain's armband.
Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate
Hard to take: Gareth Southgate rues his side's late defeat at home to newly-promoted Leicester City
Pearson returned as opposing manager to steal three points and inflict further humiliation on Gareth Southgate. It was the night Southgate had hoped to bury the memory of the 5-0 home mauling to West Bromwich.
Instead, the Riverside Stadium's lowest league crowd of 18,577 witnessed a shocking first-half, a handful of missed chances and a late goal from Lloyd Dyer which gave Leicester an unexpected win.
When visiting fans started chants of: 'You're getting sacked in the morning' before the final whistle, those in the home seats joined in.
Then, when the ball fell at his feet in the technical area in the dying minutes, Southgate was booed by his own fans. Despite the frenzied and abortive attempts to get an equaliser, the final whistle was greeted with choruses of 'Southgate Out'.
Southgate said: 'I understand the reaction. Expectations are high and the desire is that we go back up first time.
Leicester manager Nigel Pearson
Job done: Former Middlesbrough captain Nigel Pearson had no qualms getting one over his former side as his Leicester side celebrated an impressive away win
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'I am big enough to handle it. I understand it and I respect it because they gave the team tremendous backing until their goal but some nights are not meant to be.'
Pearson witnessed Bryan Robson's demise on Teesside a decade ago. He had some sympathy for Boro, even though he was delighted that Dyer's deflected effort won the game.
He said: 'I have to worry about my team and we have played better and got nothing. Middlesbrough are going through tough times but bouncing back from relegation is never easy.'
