So another day of Latin American-related fun at the Riverside Stadium. But though Afonso Alves made his eagerly awaited debut, the most Middlesbrough supporters learnt about Brazil at the weekend is that the country’s latest shirt is figure-hugging, to say the least, although another three points at least means that their record signing is highly unlikely to have to endure Coca-Cola Championship football next season.

It would be harsh to criticise Alves, who was signed for £12 million from Heerenveen, the Dutch club, for his ineffective 33-minute cameo because he has barely played in a month. Gareth Southgate, the Middlesbrough manager, used Alves to inject life into his team, who were leading through Jérémie Aliadière’s early goal and looked as if they were hanging on, even if there was no need, but he spent much of his time as a lone striker or out on the right, to little effect.

For Aliadière, 24, it was a second goal in two home matches and only the fourth top-flight league goal of his career, but he looks settled and is playing to his ability on a regular basis.

Aliadière, who believes that he can form a fruitful partnership with Alves, said: “I can play with anyone. He’s more of a forward than me, more of a goalscorer than me. I tend to play more out wide and come and get the ball, so we complement each other.”

Southgate, whose team are seven points above the relegation zone, thinks that regular action is all that has been missing in the past for Aliadière and said: “We have this problem with our own young lads and really they all need a run of games. Jérémie’s getting that now, where at Arsenal he didn’t. He’s playing with injuries and he can take the knocks because his body’s getting harder from playing a whole season.”

Middlesbrough could have done more after Aliadière’s twelfth-minute goal. He raced on to Gary O’Neil’s pass and slid the ball through the legs of Antti Niemi, the Fulham goalkeeper, before going close with two low drives after impressive jinking runs.

But as they had done in their previous home match against Wigan Athletic, Southgate’s team decided that a 1-0 lead was something to be protected, even against a team who have managed only seven goals away from home all season. They rarely looked like adding to that, although Mark Schwarzer did have to push away a shot by Danny Murphy that came through a crowded penalty area.

Roy Hodgson’s team, who are three points from safety, failed to accept Middlesbrough’s invitation to steal a point. “I can’t imagine someone watching us and thinking ‘they’ve given up the ghost’ or ‘they haven’t got a chance’,” he said. “We’re looking more like getting ourselves out of it with every week that goes by.”

Middlesbrough (4-4-2): M Schwarzer 6 – L Young 7, D Wheater 6, R Huth 6, E Pogatetz 5 – G O’Neil 7, F Rochemback 6, J Arca 6, S Downing 5 – J Aliadière 8 (sub: G Boateng 76min 6), D Lee (sub: A Alves, 57 5). Substitutes not used: R Turnbull, Mido, J Grounds. Booked: Huth. Next: Liverpool (a).

Fulham (4-2-3-1): A Niemi 6 – P Stalteri 5, C Baird 5, B Hangeland 5, P Konchesky 7 – D Murphy 6, L Andreasen 5 – S Davies 5, J Bullard 5, D Kamara 4 (sub: C Dempsey, 46 6) – E Nevland 5 (sub: B McBride, 64 6). Substitutes not used: K Keller, M Volz, C Bocanegra. Booked: Kamara, Nevland. Next: West Ham United (h).