Sky Sports.com

Southgate: Delighted

Related links

Teams

• Middlesbrough

Also see

• Boro fixtures
• Boro stats
• Boro forum

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate was understandably delighted with his side after they finished the season in wonderful fashion as they hammered Manchester City 8-1.

Afonso Alves bagged his first hat-trick in English football, Stewart Downing scored two, while Adam Johnson, Fabio Rochemback and Jeremie Aliadiere also helped themselves to a goal each as City could only muster a late consolation from Elano.

Southgate admitted there was a touch of fortune to the huge scoreline which is the biggest Premier League win in nine years.

"It was a mad day, but there is no point in me saying much as you are all going to be doing stuff on Sven (Goran Eriksson) anyway!" quipped the Boro boss.

"From our point of view I don't think we have had a lot of good fortune this year but we seemed to get all our good fortune and goals in one day.

"The turning point was the sending off and the important goal was the third as even at 2-0 they have got some good players, technically good and they could still keep the ball well.

"But once we got the third that really broke their spirit and the circumstances surrounding them weighed heavy on them but we have scored some brilliant goals and played some really good football.

"It was important for our players to play with freedom and without pressure which was for the first time really this season they could do and we showed a bit of ruthlessness today.

"We have shown we have got people in the team who can score goals and I think Afonso getting his hat-trick is an important statement.

"I think Stewy getting his 10 goals was great - we set him that target and he deserved to hit that and we are pleased the two lads who came off the bench and scored as they have played an important part for us this season."

Sven sympathy

Southgate had time for counterpart Sven Goran Eriksson - who he knows from their England days together - who is expected to leave the club soon.

"I had a quick chat before and I had a good chat with Tord [Grip] and sometimes when you have done the sort of job they have, you can walk away with your head held high and it perhaps a situation where they are better off without - it is a bizarre one really," he said.

Fabio Rochemback was one of Boro's stars against City but he looks set to depart the club and Southgate says he will be holding talks with the Brazilian on Monday.

"I am going to be speaking with him tomorrow, I will have all the players in as I haven't had chance to speak to any of them after the game," he said.

"We have had various conversations through the year and we will sit down and have a good chat."