ACTIONS speak louder than words, according to Middlesbrough defender Michael Reiziger.

The Dutch star, scorer of his first goal in nine years in Middlesbrough's 3-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday, said when he signed during the summer part of the lure was the way the club talked up their prospects of playing European football on a regular basis.

Boro are safely through to the last 32 of this season's UEFA Cup, having finished top of their group following the 3-0 win over Partizan Belgrade last week, but it's the lucrative Champions League that they have set their sights on.

Sitting in fifth place in the Premiership, the bar is being raised with every victory and the possibility of achieving chairman Steve Gibson's ultimate goal is perhaps not as far fetched as some might have thought.

Indeed, the man who saved Boro from extinction said in his programme notes at the weekend: "The UEFA officials have said to us they are glad to have us in their competition and that they would welcome us into the Champions League with open arms. Maybe that is something we can look forward to in the future."

With the festive period bringing winnable fixtures in the shape of Birmingham City away and Norwich City at home, followed by a crunch Riverside meeting with fourth-placed Manchester United on New Year's Day, the chance to close in on the pack ahead is there to be grabbed. Reiziger is determined to give it his best shot.

"Talk is cheap and we talked a lot about the ambition of the club during the summer," he said.

"But it was only right to do that because you could see what they were trying to build on.

"We are off and running, things are going well, it's as we would have all expected and it's what I came for.

"I wasn't here to play football in the park with the kids and to have a nice time, I am here to win.

"We have Birmingham away and then Norwich here. They are just as big as the game after that, which is Manchester United and is always special.

"They are the games you want to win if you want to be successful and keep on this run for the Champions League.''

Team-mate and fellow Dutchman George Boateng believes much of Boro's success is down to the attitude within the camp.

"It is a pleasure to be here," he said. "We have to be at training at 10am but everyone arrives at 9.30 to talk to each other and have breakfast together. At most clubs everyone arrives at two minutes to ten.

"It's not all sweetness, yes, we get upset sometimes, yes we make mistakes, but there is a tremendous professionalism here."

Having seen at first hand the skills of Middlesbrough wing sensation Stewart Downing, Aston Villa boss David O'Leary likened him to one of his own proteges.

Harry Kewell was given his head at Leeds United by Howard Wilkinson, but with his departure the Australian found his chances restricted under George Graham.

It was only when O'Leary took over at the helm at Elland Road that Kewell's star really began to rise.

Downing, meanwhile, has hit the headlines this season after returning to Middlesbrough from a loan spell at Sunderland.

Some outstanding performances on the left wing have seen him cement a place in the Boro starting line-up and have brought him to the attention of England boss Sven Goran Eriksson, who has pledged to play him in February's friendly international with Holland if he keeps playing to his current standard.

Having seen Downing set up Joseph Desire Job for Boro's second goal on Saturday with a run from the halfway line, O'Leary was clearly impressed.

"Downing has the potential, only time will tell whether he will go on, but he looks an impressive young lad," he said.

"I saw him play in the youth team a couple of years back and there are a lot of good young players, but I think he could be an exception. He could be an exceptional player.

"He reminds me of Kewell in his early days, whether he will progress only time will tell."

Meanwhile, Boro are waiting to learn how serious Mark Viduka's back injury, sustained on Saturday, is ahead of the Christmas programme.

Defender Chris Riggott is also a doubt for the five games in 14 days after suffering a recurrence of his hamstring trouble agaist Villa.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.