Boro desperate to turn the corner

HAVING been one of the Premier League’s most active clubs in the January transfer window, Manchester City must now apply themselves to the task of securing their future in English football’s top flight.

City boss Mark Hughes was successful in bids to secure the services of Wayne Bridge, Craig Bellamy, Nigel de Jong and Shay Given, but missed out on AC Milan’s midfield superstar Kaka and Blackburn Rovers striker Roque Santa Cruz.

And Given, the latest of City’s signings, said: “By coming here I thought I could be at a club that is challenging for honours.

“I didn't want to finish my career regretting not taking up this offer.

“I'm an ambitious guy and I want to do the best I can in such a short career."

Tenth in the Premier League, City are only five points clear of the relegation places and last Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at struggling Stoke provided a reality check that nothing can be taken for granted.

With the vastly-experienced Given set to take over from Joe Hart in goal and Bridge providing stability at left-back, City should be better equipped to keep the clean sheets they need, especially with tough-tackling midfielder De Jong providing cover in front of the back four.

Bellamy provides a cutting edge at the opposite end of the field as he demonstrated when scoring on his home debut in the recent 2-1 victory over Newcastle.

All four City signings are likely to be in action tomorrow when they entertain a Middlesbrough team staring relegation firmly in the face.

Gareth Southgate’s beleaguered outfit are second from bottom, just ahead of West Brom on goal difference, and are a team in freefall.

They managed to keep a clean sheet in last Saturday’s home draw against Blackburn, but have not won in their last 12 league games.

Yet central defender David Wheater is confident Boro can arrest their slide and climb out of the relegation zone.

“Win a couple and we are out of the bottom three,” he said. “We can switch with any of the teams who are down there with us.

“Runs like this do drain belief to an extent, but the coaches and manager are keeping our heads up and showing us that we are doing a lot right. We just need to do more.”

Boro know that victory at Eastlands would reduce the gap between the two clubs to three points and they will lifted by the return from suspension of Didier Digard and Gary O’Neill.

City have won the last two games between the clubs in Manchester, but Boro were beaten only once in 10 previous visits.