Boss backs Boro manager

Sir Alex Ferguson is backing Gareth Southgate to win over his critics and keep his job, even if Middlesbrough are relegated this season.

The North-East club host United in Saturday's lunch-time fixture, a contest that means so much at both ends of the table. If the Reds win to go six points clear of Liverpool, it would push Boro closer to the dreaded drop at the end of a transitional season.

"The unfortunate thing for our industry is that when a manager has three or four bad results, the jungle drums start beating through the media," says Sir Alex.

"But I think the Middlesbrough chairman (Steve Gibson) has the courage to stick with a young manager. I think he will recognise that Gareth Southgate is progressive and ambitious and he's trying to change the face of the club by bringing young people into his set-up. I think that’s admirable.

"Gareth is thinking along the right lines of trying to rebuild the team. He let (George) Boateng and (Fabio) Rochemback go, so he's made changes to try and bring his club forward.

"Sometimes it doesn’t always work, it takes time to do these things. Maybe in a couple of years’ time people will recognise that."

Sir Alex recognises that Saturday's game could be difficult, even if the Middlesbrough team is younger than the one that reached a UEFA Cup final under Steve McClaren and became an occasional thorn in United's side in the league.

"I think all matches are difficult at this stage of the season because the pressure’s on everyone," said Sir Alex. "We were accused of playing a weakened team against West Ham one year by Neil Warnock (then Sheffield United manager).

"That possibility arises tomorrow in some games. Some clubs are safe and may want to try young players. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that as long as they put out a team that represents their club in the right way and tries to win. That’s the best way to do it."

United will certainly be trying to win every game of course and Sir Alex is confident he has the right men for the job, even if the title race with Liverpool and Chelsea comes down to the final day, Sunday 24 May, when the Reds travel to Hull City.

"We’ve proved over the years that we’ve got players at this club who can go into the last game and win it," said the boss.

"We’re very lucky to have players with the quality, the temperament and the courage to do that. Sometimes you drive players to the very limit through your motivation and desires but when you’ve got players who’ve got these same attributes, you’ve got the right people."