French striker Jeremie Aliadiere is confident the goals will come for Middlesbrough.

Aliadiere, who is yet to score for the Teessiders since his £2.5million summer move from Arsenal, told the Evening Gazette: "We have created a lot of chances this season, so that is very positive.

"The manager says we must continue to believe in our football, and if we do that, we will score goals.

"Whatever teams we play against, we have created a lot of chances, but we have not always taken them.

"When you look at the league table, we know we need to put the chances in the goal to win games and get confidence for the team.

"That is our target. We need to score as many goals as possible."

Boro slipped to 15th place in the table with their 3-1 defeat at City with Aliadiere and Mido sidelined by hamstring problems and Tuncay able to be used only as a substitute after a shin injury.

Aliadiere, 24, has been missing since the 3-0 defeat at West Ham on September 15 after suffering a setback in training, and admits he is desperate to open his Boro account after winning too few chances at Arsenal to show his full worth.

He said: "I was feeling really sharp just before I was injured and was confident that the first goal was going to come soon.

"I was looking forward to the first goal because I felt that once the first one went in, then I would score a few more after that, so I was very disappointed to pick up the injury at that time.

"But that's football. There's nothing you can do.

"It's the same for every player. You need to be playing regularly.

"If you play only one game in every four or five, then it's difficult to get a rhythm going.

"When you start playing every week and you know you are going to play, you get used to the games and it helps you to produce your best form on a consistent basis."