Middlesbrough 1 Aston Villa 1 AS unlikely as it may sound, Middlesbrough could still be playing Premier League football next season after avoiding the defeat that would have condemned them to the Championship.
But when they head for West Ham United next Sunday for the final game of the season, manager Gareth Southgate will have to try to erase thoughts of ‘what might have been’.
After Tuncay Sanli had struck an exceptional overhead kick inside 13 minutes at the Riverside Stadium, the Teesside faithful were dreaming of the Great Escape.
But just 12 minutes after half-time, a howler of a clearance from Marlon King gifted Norwegian striker John Carew with the opportunity to level from eight yards.
It was an equaliser that prevented Middlesbrough from climbing level with North-East neighbours Newcastle United, who themselves stay in the bottom three after losing at home to Fulham.
Now Middlesbrough know they must win by at least a couple of goals at West Ham next weekend and rely on Hull – who drew at Bolton – needing to lose comfortably to Manchester United courtesy of their healthier goals advantage.
To make matters worse for Middlesbrough, it would seem they will have to head to Upton Park without Stewart Downing, who had to be withdrawn in the first half after a collision with Stilyan Petrov.
There were saves to make for goalkeeper Brad Jones, although American Brad Friedel was also forced into action on occasions too. Now, though, as predicted by manager Gareth Southgate, this relegation run in will go down to the wire.
MIDDLESBROUGH (4-4-2): Jones; Bates, Wheater, Huth, Hoyte; Johnson, Arca, O’Neil (Walker 73), Downing (King 25); Tuncay, Emnes. Subs: Turnbull, Taylor, Shawky, McMahon, Grounds. ASTON VILLA (4-4-2): Friedel; Milner; Cuellar, Davies, Shorey; Agbonlahor, Petrov, Barry, Young (Reo-Coker 71); Carew, Heskey. Subs: Guzan, Sidwell, Delfouneso, Knight, Gardner, Clark.
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