Middlesbrough boss Gordon Strachan admitted the Teessiders lacked quality and imagination in the final third after they were held to a 1-1 home draw with lowly Crystal Palace. And Strachan admitted that his team lacked the variety or clinical cutting edge to kill off Palace.

"Quality and imagination is what it comes down to," he said.

"I can't ask for any more in terms of work rate or determination from this team but it what you do in the final 25 yards that wins games and that's where we were lacking.

"I can't remember a game while I've been here where we have had more of the ball in that area but the quality and imagination with the last ball wasn't there.

"That is what the top sides have. If you have that you have a better chance of winning games and because we haven't had it is maybe why we have drawn so many matches.

"People play a lot of different tactics in this league but it always comes down to the same thing - quality and imagination.

"We haven't had that and that's why we haven't deserved to be in the top six."