Gareth Southgate refuses to accept Middlesbrough are doomed to relegation, despite last night's damaging Tyne-Tees derby defeat at Newcastle.
Boro took the lead at St James' Park but second-half goals from Obafemi Martins and Peter Lovenkrands earned Newcastle a 3-1 win, lifting the Magpies out of the relegation zone and leaving the visitors deep in trouble.
Southgate's men are three points from safety with two games to go, but the Boro boss insists they will not give up the fight.
It's difficult for us to take, but we have to lift ourselves,' he said of last night's defeat.
'Even though it's out of our hands now, we have got six points to play for. We have to try to take them, and you just never know.
'It might still happen. We have got to just win our matches.'
Boro host Southgate's former club Aston Villa on Saturday before finishing their season away to West Ham on May 24.
Southgate, who lost record signing Afonso Alves to a suspected broken bone in his foot at Newcastle, was left to reflect on key decisions which went against his side in the run-up to Martins' strike.
He said: 'For them to lose in manner we did having gone ahead is very difficult for all of us to take. It's a tough evening for everyone associated with our football club.
'The players gave everything, but unfortunately, key events on the night went against us.
'The second goal, looking at the television pictures, I thought at the time it was a foul on Huth by Viduka, but it was also offside.
'It then dropped straight to their guy - they are key things and unfortunately, they didn't go for us.'
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