Middlesbrough secured a 1-0 victory over Charlton Athletic to ease the pressure on Jonathan Woodgate.
The Teessiders took the lead inside the first minute as George Saville slotted home from close range after a scuffed effort from Britt Assombalonga.
Charlton struggled to get a foothold in the game during a first half that was dominated by the home side, and in truth, they were fortunate to only be one goal down at the break.
Despite a rallying start to the second period, it was the home side who looked more likely to get a goal as they saw out the game for a much-needed win.
Here's how we rated Jonathan Woodgate's side against Charlton.
Aynsley Pears – 8
Had a quiet afternoon but forced into two excellent saves in the closing stages.
Djed Spence – 9
One of Middlesbrough’s brightest as he used pace and trickery to break into the final third.
Jonny Howson – 7
Had a good game as he guided Djed Spence through the match. Swept up well and looked comfortable.
Daniel Ayala – 8
A no-nonsense display as he put his head where it hurts.
Dael Fry – 7
A much-improved display from last week against Leeds. Looked assured on the ball and held strong against a physical Charlton attack.
Hayden Coulson – 9
Didn’t seem to stop all match as he put in a tireless display down the left. Equally strong in defence as he was in attack.
Marcus Tavernier – 8
Showed good movement to find space for himself in midfield. Very impressive in the second half as he kept pushing to wrap up the result with a second goal.
Adam Clayton – 7
Did exactly what you’d expect from the midfielder as he sat deep and dictated play. Middlesbrough look much stronger with him in the side.
George Saville – 7
Got an early goal and worked hard to move Middlesbrough forward on the ball. One of his best performances in a while.
Ashley Fletcher – 7
Caused lots of problems as he dropped into a deep-lying striker position, using his pace to catch the Charlton defence off guard.
Britt Assombalonga – 6
It was clear to see that the number nine wasn’t fully fit but he certainly put in a shift as he carved out two good scoring opportunities in the first half.
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Substitutes
Stephen Walker – 6
Replaced Assombalonga after an hour. Worked hard and caused problems for Charlton's defence.