Breaking pieces of wood has helped prove to Manchester City's players they can avoid relegation.

It may sound no big deal, but the lesson in mind over matter from a motivational speaker has boosted the players' confidence.

The squad had the latest of their regular two-hour sessions before Wednesday's game against Liverpool and the difference was obvious as they earned a 1-1 draw.

Richard Dunne claimed the session had shown them they could achieve things which they thought were beyond them.

''It was on the morning of the game and initially we thought we would rather have a lie in, but everyone left delighted with themselves and we were all on a high,'' said the Republic of Ireland defender.

''We had to break a plank of wood with our hands - it was a square block of wood - and you looked at it and thought 'I can't do that'.

''But he said we were all going to break it before the two hours were over.

''We're thinking 'no way', but two hours later we all got in pairs, held the planks up and we actually broke them with our hands.

''He told us how to breathe and clear our minds and just think positive.

''We all broke our pieces of wood and it was like something you would see in the Karate Kid.

''He was saying if you put your mind to it, you can do it. It gave us a bit of a confidence boost and cleared our minds of any negative thoughts.

''When it came to the match against Liverpool everyone was still on a high.

''We were thinking about what he had said and we tried to put it into action on the pitch and you could see in the game everyone was running round, getting stuck in.

''It definitely made a difference because we had not been going into games like that."

Dunne claims the players intend to maintain their positive thinking against Middlesbrough in today's crunch relegation clash at the Riverside Stadium.

''You can't be up just for Liverpool,'' he said. ''You've got to be up for Middlesbrough and whoever else we play from now on.

Joe Royle's biggest poser ahead of the Boro game is whether or not Andrei Kanchelskis is fit enough to start after he came on for his debut against Liverpool.

Andy Morrison is ruled out with a hamstring injury.