Work less, get more: it sounds like a hollow marketing slogan but the theory worked gloriously for Birmingham City yesterday. Alex McLeish, the Birmingham manager, dispensed with the usual Christmas Day training session and gave his squad the day off. They responded with a fresh and focused performance.

“We got the payback from the players having given them the day off. Their professionalism has obviously been of a high standard, as you expect,” McLeish said. This victory atoned for a 3-0 defeat away to Bolton Wanderers last Saturday. “Last week wasn’t anywhere near good enough but I had a reaction today from the dressing-room, it shows there’s a bit of pride there,” he added.

He will not, however, repeat the experiment on New Year’s Eve, when the squad will be in an hotel before the next day’s game at Old Trafford. “I don’t think the new year means anything to footballers,” McLeish said. “When I played my lights were off at ten o’clock at Hogmanay, I was in my bed ready for New Year’s Day.”

The prospect of a sleepless night will be reduced if Birmingham beat Fulham on Saturday — an opportunity to collect three points before Premier League games against Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea.

This win moved Birmingham above their opponents, who are three points clear of the relegation zone. “I don’t think we deserved anything from the game,” Gareth Southgate, the Middlesbrough manager, said. Their victory over Arsenal earlier this month was cited by McLeish as proof that the division is “hugely competitive” but the gloss has long worn off for Southgate.

“I heard people using the phrase ‘we have turned the corner’. The evidence is there for everyone to see — we haven’t,” he said. “In this division you are only one bad result from sliding into problems. We have got to roll our sleeves up and get back on track. We have let ourselves down, we need to rally again. And we can, we have got enough character and quality to do it.”

Do not mention the “r” word to Southgate until the spring. “Relegation battles start about six games from the end; we’re in a position we don’t want to be in,” he said. “Only hard work, endeavour and better quality than we showed today will get us through it.”

He might have added avoiding blunders to the list. Left feet are always described as sweet and never sour, but the opening goal was an eloquent argument for a change to that cliché. Midway through the first half, Gary McSheffrey pinged the ball into the penalty area from a right-wing free kick and Stewart Downing, three yards out, swung his boot to clear but deflected the ball past Mark Schwarzer. The visiting team then enjoyed ample possession but for all their sharp build-up play, they were blunt at the business end of the pitch, reminiscent of a toy sword: looks realistic until it makes contact with a solid object and you realise that what seemed metallic is actually sponge.

A more direct and muscular approach might have caused Birmingham bigger problems; Mido’s return from injury next month cannot come soon enough for Southgate.

Though they had not been under much pressure, in the closing stages of the first period the visiting team’s defence inexplicably became racked with insecurity. Just before half-time, Cameron Jerome flicked Sebastian Larsson’s corner across goal and Mikel Forssell toe-poked in. It was not a shock when Southgate replaced David Wheater at half-time.

Birmingham began the second period vigorously but the first good opportunity was Middlesbrough’s: Julio Arca’s chipped pass dropped nicely for Tuncay Sanli ten yards out but his softly struck volley looped over the bar. A minute before the hour, Larsson might have secured the points when given a clear view of goal but he shot wide from the edge of the box.

Middlesbrough switched to three at the back, which only made a third for Birmingham more likely. After a series of failed Birmingham breakaways, in the last minute of stoppage time, McSheffrey ran at Middlesbrough’s defence and was tripped by Robert Huth, a substitute. McSheffrey, Birmingham’s best player, sent Schwarzer the wrong way from the spot and proved his manager right: turkey on the 25th, stuffing the next day.

How they lined up

Birmingham City (4-4-2): Maik Taylor – S Kelly, R Jaidi, L Ridgewell, F Queudrue – G McSheffrey, F Muamba, D Johnson, S Larsson (sub: M Nafti, 82min) – C Jerome, M Forssell (sub: G O’Connor, 77). Substitutes not used: C Doyle, J Djourou, D De Ridder. Booked: McSheffrey.

Middlesbrough (4-4-2): M Schwarzer – L Young, J Woodgate, D Wheater (sub: R Huth, 46), E Pogatetz – G Boateng, F Rochemback, J Arca (sub: A Johnson, 70), S Downing – Tuncay Kerimoglu, J Aliadière (sub: Lee Dong Gook, 46). Substitutes not used: R Turnbull, M Shawky. Booked: Arca, Woodgate.

Referee: M Halsey.

What they need

Middlesbrough A striker. Mido has been injured and Tuncay Kerimoglu and Jérémie Aliadière are not adequate replacements for Yakubu Ayegbeni and Mark Viduka, leaving the team lightweight up front.

Birmingham Given Mikel Forssell’s regular injury problems, a forward – preferably tall and strong, who can dovetail with the pacy Cameron Jerome; an attacking midfield player would also be useful.