Southgate: we can make top 4

Gareth Southgate believes that Middlesbrough are more than capable of reaching the top four of the Premiership and qualifying for the Champions League. Many will feel Southgate is a little mad for suggesting this, but the Boro boss is very confident.

“I think what we have to say at this point in time is that we know we cannot compete with Manchester United,” Southgate admitted.

“But what we might say is ‘can we breach that gap?’ And I refuse to accept that we can’t.

“It’s not necessarily a case of spending a lot of money, it’s about getting the right people in and having the right mentality.

“That has to be our aim as a club and I refuse to write off the possibility.

"At this moment in time the best we can possibly be doesn’t match the top four. But that’s got to be the aim for everybody.

“If everybody writes it off and says we can’t get there we might as well forget the league and do something else.”