Saturday 22 April 2017 18:35, UK
Steve Agnew insists Middlesbrough's Premier League survival bid is still alive despite falling nine points off safety on Saturday.
Boro lost 4-0 at Bournemouth, while Swansea and Hull both recorded victories, leaving Agnew's side in the mire with five games remaining, one of those being a game in hand over their relegation rivals.
But Agnew says there is hope yet of survival, despite Boro not winning in the top flight since mid-December.
He told Sky Sports: "We've got a huge challenge ahead, but it's still alive, we've got to get ready for Wednesday night and go into the game as positive as we can be.
"This is what we've been waiting for, the win, and it hasn't come today and we're very disappointed. But we have to dust ourselves down and get ready for Wednesday night."
Goals from Josh King, Benik Afobe, Marc Pugh and Charlie Daniels gave Bournemouth the victory, but Middlesbrough were not helped by the sending off of Gaston Ramirez after just 20 minutes.
Ramirez was penalised for a dive and then a late foul, and Agnew admits the Uruguayan should have been more careful.
"We're obviously not happy with the start of the game and that's where we lost the game. It was naive and poor defending, and it gave us a mountain to climb," he said.
"It's not about shapes and systems, it's about defending, and we needed to do better.
"I think when Gaston has the first yellow card he has to be careful then. The way he went in towards Pugh, you're always risking a second yellow, and that certainly put us in a very, very difficult position for the rest of the game.
"The players have a fighting spirit and will continue to fight, and that was evident in the second half."
