Middlesbrough recover to draw with Arsenal.

Middlesbrough came back from 1-0 down to earn a well deserved draw with Arsenal and leave Gareth Southgate praising his players.

Arsenal went ahead after 17 minutes when Emmanuel Adebayor headed in a corner from Cesc Fabregas, but Boro responded and Jeremie Aliadiere equalised in the 29th minute.

After the game, Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate heaped praise on his players ” I think the performance of the back four in particular, given the circumstances of all of them playing, was phenomenal.”

It was a great result for Middlesbrough but Arsenal will have seen it as two points dropped. Arsenal Manager Arsene Wenger also praised the performance of the home side. ” Middlesbrough played well and they fight very hard…and in the last 20 minutes they defended very, very well.”

The early kick off was a great openerto the day, Middlesbrough started the better team and were unlucky to go behind after dominating the first 15 minutes. After Adebayor scored, Middlesbrough kept on pushing nd got their reward when Jeremie Aliadiere got his head in front of the defenders foot to header in from a Tuncay cross.

Middlesbrough then had a claim for a penalty, when Gael Clichy looked to have tripped Adam Johnson in the box, but ref Peter Walton turned down the appeals. However, replays showed that the Arsenal full back got a piece of the man, and not the ball.

In the second half it was obvious the home side were happier with the draw, with 10 men behind the ball for most of it. But Boro still looked dangerous on the break, and Stewart Downing forced a great save from Manuel Almunia, after getting in behind the Arsenal defence.

The draw means Arsenal have even more of a gap to close in the race for the Premier League title, but Arsene Wenger doesn’t think his team are out of it yet, “Champions are people who go when everybody stops. And thats the way we can show… that we are still believing.”

Listen In Full: Gareth Southgate

Listen In Full: Arsene Wenger

Game Stats…

Middlesbrough: Turnbull, McMahon, Riggott, Huth, Pogatetz, Johnson (Emnes 90), Digard (Shawky 90), Arca, Downing, Sanli, Aliadiere. Subs Not Used: Jones, Alves, Bates, Hines, Grounds.

Goals: Aliadiere 29.

Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Djourou, Clichy, Denilson, Fabregas, Song Billong, Diaby (Bendtner 82), Van Persie, Adebayor. Subs Not Used: Fabianski, Vela, Ramsey, Silvestre, Wilshere, Eboue.

Booked: Diaby.

Goals: Adebayor 17.

Ref: Peter Walton