The league table says one thing, but Roy Keane says another; safety is a relative concept on Wearside. The prospect of relegation may have been banished on Saturday, in the late, last-breath style that defines Sunderland but no one is safe. Not from the manager, nor his relentless quest to improve and lay down fresh challenges.

In their first year back in the top division, Sunderland have spent more than £40 million on new players, an approach that Keane described as “a bit tentative”. He has high standards. “People are reluctant to go mad because history tells you Sunderland have a good chance of going straight back down, but hopefully I’ll be coming to the table in a stronger position this time,” he said.

“The potential here is unbelievable, that’s why I took the job. I’d had other offers and said ‘no chance’, I carried on walking my dog, but Sunderland excites me. It takes a lot to get me excited.” It comes with a price.

The Irishman’s scattergun approach to the transfers has brought a Paul McShane and a Rade Prica for every Kenwyne Jones and Phil Bardsley, but Keane and his club have something special. The size of the crowd, the team’s refusal to buckle and their spirit drive them to the final whistle.

On Friday night, Keane had read through a section of critical letters he received after Sunderland’s sapping defeat by Newcastle United. They were fed to the shredder. “I was disappointed with the bad reaction we got,” he said. “People have to appreciate how far the team has come. We were second from bottom of the Coca-Cola Championship not long ago.” Sunderland’s strength is in moving on.

Middlesbrough must adopt a similar mentality. In Gareth Southgate, the manager, and Steve Gibson, the chairman, they have two passionate and ambitious men in roles of influence, but for all their promise, the players lack Sunderland’s ruthlessness. Having grasped an early lead through Tuncay Sanli, they allowed Danny Higginbotham to head an equaliser.

On the cusp of half-time, Michael Chopra came inside David Wheater to score. Afonso Alves restored parity in the 73rd minute, but Middlesbrough’s tenacity failed them. Two minutes into stoppage time Daryl Murphy and Emanuel Pogatetz leapt to intercept a cross by Grant Leadbitter and Brad Jones was beaten. It was a fizzing, thunderous contest.

Southgate’s team have home matches against Portsmouth and Manchester City. “We have to make it happen,” the manager said. “We’ll all wake up in the morning – hopefully – and the world will still be revolving.” They cannot relax. For different reasons, neither can Sunderland.

Sunderland (4-4-2): C Gordon 5 – D Whitehead 7, N Nosworthy 7, D Higginbotham 7, D Collins 7 – C Edwards 4 (sub: G Leadbitter, 60min 5), L Miller 5, K Richardson 6, A Reid 7 – M Chopra 7 (sub: D Murphy, 85), K Jones 7. Substitutes not used: M Fulop, I Harte, R Prica. Booked: Chopra, Richardson, Whitehead. Next: Bolton Wanderers (a).

Middlesbrough (4-4-2): B Jones 3 – L Young 6, D Wheater 6, E Pogatetz 7, A Taylor 6 – L Cattermole 4 (sub: F Rochemback, 57 3), G Boateng 6, J Arca 5, S Downing 7 – Afonso Alves 7, Tuncay Sanli 7. Substitutes not used: R Turnbull, M Shawky, A Johnson, J Grounds. Booked: Wheater, Pogatetz. Next: Portsmouth (h).