GARETH SOUTHGATE believes Middlesbrough's deadly strikeforce have delivered the perfect riposte to the doubters accusing them of profligacy in front of goal.

Mark Viduka and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink ended their barren runs on Monday night when they shared three goals in the victory over Manchester City.

There was a sense of relief in the stands at the Riverside Stadium as Middlesbrough's most feared forwards rediscovered their shooting boots to fire Steve McClaren's men to within two points of fourth-placed Manchester United.

Neither striker is renowned for keeping his thoughts close to his chest and McClaren had previously revealed the frustrations both have been trying to work out of their systems in training.

Experienced Boro captain Southgate claims Viduka and Hasselbaink's goals on Monday - all three had a touch of class about them - are what separates them from many other Premiership front-men.

"I'm sure both of them will be relieved to have scored again because no matter what the quality of the player or the experience, all strikers want to score goals and if they have a drought it becomes an issue," said Southgate.

"Physically you can be right and all your training can go right, but how you respond to mistakes and things not going so well sets apart winners from the rest.

"Jimmy and Mark are always under the spotlight because of their reputation and the ability that they possess. The great thing is that we had been winning games without them scoring because you know that they will eventually hit form and that was proved correct by the brilliant way they took their goals on Monday."

Hasselbaink grabbed his only goal since his hat-trick at Blackburn on October 16, while Viduka's double was the first time he has found the net since the brace he hit against Banik Ostrava a month earlier.

Southgate insists the new-found confidence of the pair was clear to see on Monday, and he is looking for it to continue when Middlesbrough make the long trip to Southampton on Saturday.

"I was pleased for both of them, especially Mark because he's had a longer spell without scoring. There was also good inter-play with Jimmy for his second," said Southgate.

"Them failing to score was not an issue within the dressing room but every time a game passes without them scoring it was highlighted more.

"From my point of view it was never an issue. We were scoring from other positions and that's the way it should be.

"They will be hoping they can go on a good run of scoring now and I certainly believe that they will. You could see by the way Mark took his second that the confidence had suddenly come flowing back.

"Being confident is such an important mindset because playing professional sport at the highest level the people who are competing are of a similar standard, but so much of the game is played between your ears."

Middlesbrough have lost just one of their last nine league games and have claimed 18 points from a possible 27 - form that has opened up a three-point gap between themselves and sixth-placed Aston Villa.

But prior to Monday's win the Teessiders had lost at Tottenham and in the UEFA Cup Group E fixture with Villarreal.

Southgate was looking for Middlesbrough to bounce back from those disappointing defeats.

"We've all been ratty about losing two games on the bounce because we've got a group of players who want to win. None of us enjoyed the last week so it was important we stopped the rot. It's a good sign that two defeats is a big issue because it shows how we are developing as a side," said Southgate.

"I still feel we've got more to come as a team. We've not had a very settled side but we've continued grinding results out.

"We're fifth at the moment and we've pulled away slightly from the teams below us. For me, anything outside the top six would be an under-achievement with the players we've got and the way we've coped with injuries until now. As players come back in we've got to look higher and higher."