MIDDLESBROUGH’S Premier League future is hanging by a thread but Gareth Southgate refused to accept Saturday’s 4-1 defeat had dealt had a fatal blow to his side’s topflight survival.

“Where there is life there is hope,” insisted the manager, who urged supporters not to give up on their team ahead of what he admitted is a mustwin encounter with Hull City this weekend.

Boro fans have witnessed only four home victories this season but Southgate remains optimistic that his team can breathe life back into their campaign by securing three much-needed points against Phil Brown’s side.

“We have to beat Hull at home, I am certain of that.

Then hopefully we can take that into the Fulham game to give ourselves a chance,” he declared. “It’s time for players to show they’ve the stomach for the fight.”

Middlesbrough began this season with back-to-back home victories over Tottenham and Stoke City and must end their campaign in similar fashion if there is to be any chance of Premier League football continuing on Teesside for a 12th consecutive season.

The travelling support could hardly have done more to get behind their side at the Reebok, but many were heading back to their cars before Ricardo Gardner’s late goal capped a dismal afternoon.

“I can only thank the fans for their support throughout the afternoon, t h e y n eve r stopped believing – they were o u t s t a n d - ing,” said S o u t h g a t e .

“They were positive before the game and they are going to be u n b e l i e v a b l y frustrated going home.

“We all know the severity of the situation that we’re in and we didn’t reward them enough with our play.”

With only a couple of wins in their last 20 League games, the chances of Boro pulling off the kind of escape trick that Portsmouth, West Ham and Fulham have managed in recent seasons appears very unlikely.

An emotional Southgate insisted: “Teams in the last couple of years in the same sort of position as us have managed to get out of it.

“One goal at the right time, one result at the right time can change things.

“But there’s no hiding from it, there’s a huge task facing us.”

“It’s never impossible until its mathematically out of your reach so we’ve got to win football matches. But to win football matches you’ve got to do things better than we did at Bolton.”

Emanuel Pogatetz landed heavily midway through Saturday’s dismal defensive showing and his strained knee will almost definitely see the Austria international sidelined for Saturday.

Even without his inspirational skipper, Southgate has promised that supporters can, at the very least, expect the players to repair their severely dented pride.

“It’s very straightforward we’ve got the make sure that the very least we do is give some pride back to the supporters who made the trip here today. I want to apologise for the manner in which, what started off looking a bright performance, ended up with us losing our shape and giving away some sloppy goals.”

Southgate denied that news of fellow-strugglers Blackburn grabbing a late winner against Spurs had damaged his player’s fragile confidence prior to kick-off.

“I was aware of the result from Blackburn and it didn’t do us any favours but you get on with things,” he insisted.

“When my players left the dressing room before kick-off they were very positive and you could see in the first half there was very little in it. But as always, goals change both matches and emotions.”

Asked if defeat to Gary Megson’s side was a low point in his career, Southgate replied: “It is a low because I want the club to survive in this division but it’s something that I can handle and I’m determined to get the right response from everyone at the football club.

“In the lead up to this game everybody’s contributed well and we started very well and it’s how we react to the disappointment that is important.

“We have to come out fighting next week.”