Southgate: I am confident about turning it around

The Teessiders begin a critical run of seven games at Bolton on Sunday, five of which are against sides currently in the bottom half of the Barclays Premier League table, which will take them up to Boxing Day.

Southgate's men ended a run of four successive league defeats by fighting back to claim a point against Totttenham at the Riverside Stadium last weekend, and he is hoping thhat can be the platform for a concerted push.

He said: "We spoke a couple of weeks ago about teams from 12th downwards being within three or four points of us and how by Christmas, we need to chip away to the top of that group of teams.

"We have taken a small step and over the coming weeks as we get more and more people back, that's what we have got to work at.

"We can only take small steps at a time."

Southgate could have Emanuel Pogatetz at his disposal for the first time this season at Bolton, although he will be reluctant to throw him in too early after he underwent surgery on both knees this summer.

But with Robert Huth also on the mend and midfielder Julio Arca likely to be ready to return some time next month, things are finally starting to look up on the injury front.

However, while Southgate was happy to take some reward from the Spurs game, there was an angry response from sections of the crowd, while thousands of empty seats at the Riverside Stadium illustrating the challenge he faces.

The manager said: "The frustration was a reflection of the situation we find ourselves in and the tension that has created.

"But the fans will be with us if we make the forward steps that we need to and we keep attacking.

"We felt there was a game to try and win against Tottenham, but I think a little bit of fear took over at times towards the end. The only way we can overcome that is by getting results and by getting people's confidence back."

Southgate also pleaded for patience as he continues his overhaul of the club.

He told the Evening Gazette: "I am confident about turning it around, no question, but in terms of turning it around, I suppose it depends on how high expectations are.

"We are a club that has only finished in the top 10 of the league twice since the start of the Premier League.

"So much change took place last year, you think you have got through it, and everything changes again this summer because of the players we were unable to keep hold of.

"But we have got to build slowly and grow as a team, and what we have got in place is a significantly younger squad than we had 12 to 18 months ago that can stay together for a period of time.

"We have to grow and build on that together and at the moment, we are having to accept that we are going to get a lot of knock-backs.

"But we are all big enough to deal with that."