Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate insists he is under no pressure at the club.

The former England international knows that three home defeats in a row is not ideal ahead of tonight's clash with Derby County at the Riverside but is confident that he still has the backing of his players and staff.

"Pressure? We understand that three defeats at home on the bounce raises the questions that are being asked," said Southgate.

"I assume I have his backing, and I take that until I here otherwise. I focus on doing my job and affecting everything that's within my control. That means galvanizing the staff and players we have to try to perform at as high a level as we can. Had we won at the weekend, we would have been a point of first place and everything would have been different."

When asked if chairman Steve Gibson had spoken to him about recent results, Southgate replied with: "I've not really spoken to him [Gibson]. I've not seen him after the games in the last couple of weeks, but he would want us to continue with the way we work Monday to Friday, but to start getting the results at home.

"He was at the game at Reading and he would have been disappointed that we didn't pick up the result on Saturday because he's the same as us, he's striving to try to get things right at home and he wants the atmosphere at home to be one that the supporters are enjoying."

Southgate added that he was just taking care of things in his control.

"I am just getting on with my job. Everything else is irrelevant," he added further.

"We have a tight group of players and staff who are all singing from the same song sheet. There are days no matter what the preparation is it just doesn't happen. We have tried to address the reasons and make sure we act on those."