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Southgate refutes 'R' word
Middlesbrough, 09:49, February 22, 2009 ,
Gareth Southgate insisted his Middlesbrough players will fight to the wire in the race to stay in the Premier League.
A poor run of form has left the Teessiders second from bottom in the relegation zone - having also played a game more than Blackburn and rock-bottom West Brom - and Southgate has acknowledged he is facing up to the biggest challenge of his managerial career.
Southgate, speaking after a drab 0-0 draw with Wigan on Saturday, said: "We've got a fight on our hands and the majority of people outside our group think we're gone but we're not.
"There's a lot of football to be played and we're going to have to win games people don't expect us to win.
"Yes, we've got a fight on our hands, but we're up to that challenge."