IN HIS programme notes Gareth Southgate had stated he was not going to complain about what other clubs were doing in the transfer window and then he proceeded to go on and do just that, speaking about how “people outside this club are always keen to destabilise us”. It was a clear reference to Tottenham’s attempts to prise away Middlesbrough’s star player Stewart Downing and on the evidence of yesterday, it is clear to see why Southgate would be so terrified about losing the England international.

Downing was behind all that the home side did well yesterday, setting up the opening goal, though a late equaliser from Kenwyne Jones pegged Boro back and in the end they were a little lucky to hang on to their point.

Southgate’s protestations ignore the fact the player had asked for a move himself and much of the build-up had concerned whether Downing would be singled out for abuse from the home fans. But he received a hearty welcome and gave the home fans every reason to cheer him as he provided most of the quality in what was an otherwise insipid first half.

With Sunderland sitting deep, Boro quickly realised they would have little impact down the flanks and with Downing again occupying a central role just behind the lone striker Afonso Alves, it was he who provided the creative drive that eventually broke the deadlock.

Downing had tested Marton Fulop with a powerful drive which pounded into the goalkeeper’s chest on nine minutes and he then teed up Tuncay, who shot over from the edge of the box.

The goal came when Downing switched briefly to the right wing. Didier Digard bravely won a ball in midfield which broke kindly for Boro on to the chest of Alves, who was just inside the Sunderland box with his back to goal. Alves played a swift ball to Downing, who outsprinted the chasing pack down the wing and then had the composure to dink the ball through with his left foot to Alves, who had now positioned himself on the edge of the area. With the goal at his mercy, he flashed the ball past Fulop in the 45th minute.

For their part, Sunderland contributed little and threatened less in the first half. The supply to the front two of Kenwyne Jones and Djibril Cisse was fitful but nevertheless the pairing, of which much is hoped, seemed ill-matched yesterday and Sunderland only got back in the game when Ricky Sbragia changed the shape.

Crucially Andy Reid replaced El Hadji Diouf and immediately got the team buzzing with his trickery around the edge of the area. It was his quick pass to another substitute, David Healy, who was brought on as a right winger as Sunderland changed to three up front, which produced the equaliser. Healy found himself in plenty of space and his low cross from the dead-ball line was an excellent one. The onrushing Jones was always favourite to get to the ball first, which he duly did, steering the ball past Ross Turnbull.

Sunderland finished the stronger and looked to have scored when Carlos Edwards flicked on Reid’s corner, but Adam Johnson deftly flicked the ball off the line and then Tony McMahon produced a brilliant challenge to deny Cisse at the end.

“Stewart is a class player and he showed why we want to keep him,” Southgate said. “The reports about him submitting a transfer request are wrong. He came to see me, but he didn’t put in a request. We need him to keep on doing that for us, but it is difficult to say what will happen further down the line.”

Star man: Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough)

Yellow cards: Sunderland: Nosworthy, Malbranque, Richardson, Jones

Referee: P Dowd

Attendance: 29,310

MIDDLESBROUGH: Turnbull 6, McMahon 7, Riggott 6, Wheater 6, Pogatetz 6, Digard 7 (Bates 65min), Walker 6 (Johnson 47min, 7), Arca 6, Downing 8, Tuncay 5, Alves 7 (Mido 86min)
SUNDERLAND: Fulop 6, Chimbonda 6, Nosworthy 6, Ferdinand 6, Collins 5, Malbranque 5 (Edwards 54min, 5), Whitehead 6, Richardson 5 (Healy 80min), Diouf 6 (Reid 67min), Cisse 5, Jones 6