MIDDLESBROUGH boss Gareth Southgate has admitted the fight for Premier League survival could come down to who best holds their nerve.

Boro head into a potentially decisive derby trip to Newcastle on Monday evening knowing defeat for either side could all but see them relegated, and a draw could prove near-fatal to both sides.

For both Southgate and opposite number and former England team-mate Alan Shearer, the stakes could hardly be higher, although they are not alone.

West Brom boss Tony Mowbray knows defeat at home to Wigan would see his club effectively relegated regardless of what happens elsewhere, while Hull face a must-win home clash with Stoke and Sunderland travel to Bolton in severe danger of being sucked back into the mire.

Southgate, who experienced the nightmare of relegation during his playing days at Crystal Palace, is acutely aware his young players will face a major test of character as the season draws to a tense conclusion.

He said: "That will be important, but we have to get results, we have got to score goals and we have got to play well.

"Holding your nerve is important - there will be some big atmospheres to cope with, some big matches to play in.

"Going out and performing and being able to perform under pressure will be key, definitely."

Southgate gave his players two days off in the wake of the 2-0 home defeat by leaders Manchester United on Saturday and told them to relax before returning to start preparations for what for many of them will be the biggest game of their career to date.

Boro have won only two of their last 23 league games, while Newcastle have collected all three points just once in 17 attempts, and the psychological battle at St James' Park will be as important as the physical contest.

That aspect is something which will not be ignored during the next few days.

Southgate said: "You have lots of psychologists at your club - your head physio is one of the most important, I would think.

"We have used sports psychologists here - we do have a sports psychologist here, and have done for years.

"But as a manager, a lot of your work has to do with working on the players minds because physically, there is not a lot between many of the teams and technically, sometimes there is a lot, so you have got to bridge the gap in between your ears."

However, Southgate admits that, despite the pressure of the situation in which the club finds itself, assessing the mood of the players and how best to prepare them for such an important game is a delicate process.

He said: "You always assess the mood of your players through any week's training.

"There will be times when they are ready to take on board lots of information and work in a particular way, and there are other times where you need to maybe back off a little bit and allow them to enjoy themselves a bit more."

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