The only pressure Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate feels is that which he puts himself under.

The 38-year-old saw his side slip to within two points of the relegation zone in the wake of Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Fulham.

He said: "Pressure is what you put on yourself. I don't concern myself about external pressure because there is nothing you can do about that. "The one thing we have at this football club is a realism in terms of what we can achieve with the funds we have.

"We are reducing our costs at a time when others are pouring millions into their clubs, so it is a very difficult situation for us, but one which - if we had had a positive result on Saturday - we would have been in the top half of the table and there would be a much brighter outlook.

"We understand how emotions work in football - one good or bad result either way throws people completely on to a different path, and we demand more after a disappointment like Saturday because of the nature of the performance.

"But we know what we are trying to achieve and we know how we achieve that. Listen, if we don't get the results and I am shown the door, I said last year, I would have no complaints.

"But I know the agenda that has been set, I know we are meeting a lot of the targets we are being asked to.

"We don't take ourselves too seriously, but we take our job very seriously.

"I see the lifespan of the average manager, but I don't feel pressure other than what I put on myself because I want to achieve."