Aitor Karanka has insisted that Middlesbrough can compete with anybody in the Premier League after his side snatched a point from the jaws of defeat against Manchester City.
Sergio Aguero's 150th City goal was cancelled out in the 91st minute by Marten de Roon's far post header.The goal means that Boro are unbeaten in three league games.
Either side of a 2-0 home win against Bournemouth, Karanka's men have come away with highly credible draws at both the Emirates and now the Eithad, leaving their manager convinced his team can compete with anybody in the league.
The Spaniard toldSky Sports: "Our second half was really good, I was really pleased with our second-half performance, so with the goal it has been amazing.
"We were playing well but didn't have the points to show for it. Now we have points at home and two points at very big stadiums, here and the Emirates. So for that reason we must keep going, trust each other and be together.
"We knew it would be difficult, but when we believed in ourselves we showed everybody that we can compete against anybody."
It truly was a game of two halves at the Etihad; City dominated the first 45 minutes and created a host of chances, but with the game remainingat 1-0, Boro came out after the break with new impetus, and their manager praised the half-timeswitch in attitude.
"I think in the first half we had too much respect for them," Karanka added.
"I told them at half-time 'We haven't just come here to defend'. We went to the Emirates two weeks ago and had chances.
"I know that my team could do much better than we did in the first half, and we set up the same as we did against Arsenal. There we counter-attacked, but here it seemed we just came to defend.
"In the second half we were more confident and we felt we could score goals and create chances."