MIDDLESBROUGH go in search of their first Premiership home win of the season today, with manager Bryan Robson insisting: "I don't feel under pressure.''

Robson, who faced calls to quit last season, is already coming under fire from disgruntled fans this term.

Little more than 5,000 turned out for Tuesday's nail-biting 2-1 Worthington Cup win over Third Division Macclesfield, which was only achieved with two goals in a desperate last three minutes.

Boro have gone five top-flight games without a win since their opening-day 3-1 victory at Coventry.

But Robson, whose squad has been ravaged by injuries, maintained: "I don't feel under pressure. I think we'll be fine when everyone is fit. We'll be a strong, solid side and we'll string some wins together.

"With all the injuries we've had, I've used 25 players this season, which is a nonsense after only seven games.''

But Robson is anxious to see Boro break their home League duck against Aston Villa.

"We need to turn it on at home,'' said Robson. "We've got our away form right but we haven't performed at home yet.

"The fans pay good money for season tickets and people have got every right to criticise when we've played three home games in the Premiership and haven't won.''

Robson welcomes Alen Boksic back to his starting line-up.

The flu-hit marksman missed Sunday's 1-1 draw at Manchester City but sparked the revival against Macclesfield as a second-half substitute.

And Robson cracked the whip at his other strikers, demanding they show the same drive as the three-goal Croatian ace.

"In the three-and-a-bit games he's played, I couldn't have asked any more of him,'' said Robson.

"He scored two at Coventry and was involved in our other goal there, then at Derby he scored a penalty and had a hand in another goal.

"Here, against Everton, he played a part in the goal that gave us the lead and then against Macclesfield, when we were struggling, he came on and showed a bit of magic and created the chance for Noel Whelan to score.

"Alen seemed to give the players and the fans a lift. He's fully fit now and first on my team sheet.

"Too many of my other strikers haven't shown the consistency of Boksic. I expect more from Brian Deane, Joseph Job, Hamilton Ricard, Andy Campbell and Alun Armstrong.

"I've got seven or eight strikers and I only have one who is saying: 'I should be in the team.' There should be two or three others doing the same.''

Robson refused to be alarmed by the record-low Riverside crowd for the Macclesfield game, but conceded his club must look at introducing concessions for ties against lowly opposition.

Sunderland attracted more than 24,000 for their Worthington tie with Luton, while over 37,000 watched Newcastle against Leyton Orient the following night.

Robson stressed: "Newcastle's crowd was fantastic, but they've incorporated cup games into the season tickets and Sunderland charged just a quid for kids, which is a good idea.

"I think that, if we go through to the next round and get a lower league team again, we should look at doing the same. You can capture kids as supporters that way.''

Robson confirmed he has made a club record bid of around £9m for Villa defender Ugo Ehiogu.

"I wish he was playing for us this weekend,'' said Robson. "We've made a bid and Villa haven't come back to us yet. The ball is in their court.

"I think everybody knows we've shown an interest in Ugo and that I'd like him to come here as quickly as possible.

"With the uncertainty over the transfer system, it preys on your mind when you are spending the fans' money because they're the ones who put the money into the club.

"But with the £5.5m sale of Christian Ziege to Liverpool, we've got money to spend we weren't expecting.

"We haven't kept a clean sheet yet this season and I want to put that right.''

Former Boro star Paul Merson, who moved to Villa in controversial circumstances two years ago, returns to the Riverside again claiming his old club wouldn't have been promoted without him.

But Robson said: "Merse did a great job for us and we'll have to give him a lot of respect. We've watched a video of the the game against Bradford last week and it was probably Paul who won the game for Villa.

"He was a big plus for us when he came here because we'd lost Juninho and Fabrizio Ravanelli and he showed great ability to fill the gap they left.

"He had charisma, but this is a team game and people like Andy Townsend, Nigel Pearson and Paul Gascoigne all played their part in us going up.''

Boro face the dual threat of Merson and David Ginola and Robson added: "Our lads know all about Merse and we're going to have to tie him and Ginola down."

Christian Karembeu, still lacking fitness after a knee problem, has won praise from Robson.

The French midfielder has missed the last two games, but Robson said: "He's shown a great attitude. He was supposed to go back to Paris after the Everton game a fortnight ago to see his wife, but he was injured so he came in the next day for treatment instead.

"His knee has settled down but he hasn't trained this week. He's had fluid on his knee and it's been swollen. He's just short of fitness now and the same goes for Gary Pallister and Steve Vickers.

"Gary's had a problem with his groin and Steve his Achilles, but along with Christian they should be okay for the game at Southampton next weekend.'