Mixed feelings for Southgate

Southgate had targeted seven points from clashes with Tottenham, Liverpool and Stoke, and Middlesbrough emerged with six after Tuncay Sanli's late strike ensured the Potters were beaten 2-1.

Southgate said: "I felt we could get seven points from the first three games, so in a sense I am a little bit disappointed we have ended up with six. We have been good value for at least seven points from three games, but that's a good start for us."

He added: "It's our best start for a number of years and we know the team can grow together and improve together, and they will have to take on different challenges, like they did today."

However, any sense of disappointment will be tempered by the knowledge that Stoke could so easily have emerged from their visit to Teesside with a hard-fought point had it not been for Tuncay's 85th-minute intervention.

The Barclays Premier League new boys looked in little difficulty until midfielder Amdy Faye was dismissed for a two-footed lunge at Mohamed Shawky and Afonso Alves compounded Stoke's misery by dispatching the resulting free-kick emphatically past Thomas Sorensen.

They drew level 19 minutes from time when Justin Hoyte bundled Liam Lawrence's cross into his own net, but Tuncay was in the right place at the right time to control Didier Digard's mis-hit shot and fire past Sorensen.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis had no complaints about Faye's red card, which he admitted had been pivotal.

He said: "The sending-off changed the game, without a question of a doubt. It was a good decision. We have had a mandate round telling us if people leave the ground with two feet, then they will be sent off, so we have got no qualms there. Mike [Dean] made the right decision.

"It just changed. Up until that point, we were enjoying ourselves. It looked as though the players were really enjoying it."