Fab double edges Boro closer to the drop

In truth Boro fans would probably give anything to be back in that position now.

After losing 7-0 to Arsenal in January 2006, Steve McClaren led Boro to Premier League safety and all the way to the UEFA Cup final.

Three years on, and after a club record equalling tenth successive away league defeat behind them, a 2-0 reversal at the hands of the Gunners looks like leading to only one thing - relegation.

Andrey Arshavin, the Russian playmaker tormenting defences across the country, claimed in his programme notes that Arsenal had to be wary.

“We have to be careful, teams in their position are always dangerous,” he remarked. The only danger posed by Middlesbrough, however, was to themselves.

After failing to come to terms with Arsenal’s movement and craft in the opening half, Middlesbrough quite rightly trailed to Cesc Fabregas’s well worked opener in the 27th minute - even if there was a hint of offside to the goal as Nicklas Bendtner strayed in front of Brad Jones.

And after actually threatening to pull level shortly after the restart, goalkeeper Jones made a costly error of judgement that gifted Fabregas his second 23 minutes before time.

Jones might not have conceded seven like he did on his last appearance on Arsenal soil just over three years ago, but this error helped to end any hopes Boro had of emerging with a surprise point.

And now with leaders Manchester United due at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday, this fight for survival is certainly not going to be easy.

Any sort of victory would have lifted Middlesbrough out of the bottom three yesterday.

Now, however, Gareth Southgate knows there is little margin for further errors ahead of remaining matches against United, Newcastle, Aston Villa and West Ham.

With a pitiful two wins from their last 22 matches there is no need to look too far for reasons why Middlesbrough find themselves in such a dreadful position.

But having claimed four points from their last two matches, Southgate had at least been given a glimmer of hope that an unlikely survival push may be on the cards.

And with time running out Southgate had no hesitation in fielding a relatively attackminded side, with Tuncay Sanli asked to provide the creativity from the middle for a forward line of Jeremie Aliadiere and Marlon King.

Such a plan must have seemed fine in theory, putting such tactics into practise at the Emirates Stadium was an altogether different proposition.

After being given some early encouragement to move forward, Middlesbrough soon found that Theo Walcott and Arshavin’s pace and trickery down the flanks to be a constant source of menace.

And had it not been for a terrific block from Robert Huth on Walcott at the back post, after Fabregas’s defence splitting pass, Arsenal would have been ahead inside just eight minutes.

Southgate may have been bold enough to play with five forward-thinkers, but with the pendulum swinging so heavily in Arsenal’s favour, it is difficult to imagine any of Boro’s systems working.

It may be five years since the red half of North London last had a Premier League title triumph to cherish, but there was still a class about Arsenal’s play, even if they struggled to make the early breakthrough.

With Arshavin and Fabregas pulling play from one side to the other, Middlesbrough struggled to contend with the pressure being applied.

And, just as it seemed the worst might be over, Fabregas slid into finish off a terrific freeflowing move that Boro’s players seemed almost ready to move aside and applaud.

It arrived midway through the first half.

Samir Nasri’s pass from well inside his own half found Arshavin.

His pass into the middle was flicked on to Fabregas by Bendtner, who in turn sent Arshavin clear down the left.

The Russian, in acres of space, casually drifted inside Tony McMahon before rolling to the on-rushing Fabregas and the Spaniard stretched his right boot to find Jones’ bottom left hand corner.

Occasionally Middlesbrough ventured forward. A switch of wings brought immediate rewards for Gary O’Neil and Stewart Downing, with the latter forcing Manuel Almunia into his only first half save from 22 yards.

For the most part, however, on the rare occasions that the visitors did work their way into decent positions down the wings, King and Aliadiere were wasteful with their deliveries.

And while Southgate might have had a decent penalty claim wrongly knocked back by referee Chris Foy when Downing’s centre appeared to strike Bendtner’s arm in the area, Arsenal were worthy of the lead at the break.

Such was the difference in class between the two teams in the opening 45 minutes, it seemed that the only chance Middlesbrough would have of clawing level would be complacency came over Arsenal. That is exactly what happened.

Aliadiere, who had scored in his two previous matches against his former club, should have equalised six minutes after the break. But, after Downing’s exceptional 40-yard pass, the Frenchman was denied by Almunia’s left boot.

Almost immediately Jones had to get down low to thwart Walcott at the opposite end, after Emmanuel Eboue had worked his way to the by-line, but Middlesbrough had started to have much more of a say on proceedings.

But after King had side-footed a volley into Almunia after he had been found at the back post unmarked by Downing, Middlesbrough – or more precisely Jones – pressed the selfdestruct button.

The Australian completely misjudged the weight on Emmanuel Eboue’s pass, came charging yards out of his penalty area, leaving Fabregas to skip around the goalkeeper before sliding into an empty net.

That arrived 23 minutes from time to bring to an end any slight hopes Middlesbrough had of recording a draw and summed up an instant why Southgate’s men are where they are in the table.

Jones did make low saves from Nasri and Bendtner, twice, before the whistle, but the damage had already been done and there was no way back for a team that continue to look destined for the Championship.