Pressure mounts on Southgate

Southgate watched in agony as Gary O'Neil saw an 86th-minute drive deflected to safety off keeper Chris Kirkland's legs as the visitors hung on in a game marred by a serious-looking injury to Didier Digard.

Digard was stretchered off in the 16th minute after a challenge by former Boro midfielder Lee Cattermole, while O'Neil and Brazilian Afonso Alves were both controversially booked for diving.

Boro had their best chance of the game in the 34th minute when Stewart Downing made space just inside the left side of the box and fired a low shot which was tipped out for a corner by the alert Kirkland.

And from the resulting corner the ball also eventually fell to Downing who this time drilled a low effort just past the post.

But Wigan also came close three minutes later when Charles N'Zogbia spun in a left-footed free-kick from the edge of the Boro box which the alert Brad Jones did well to palm away.

Boro's indiscipline cost them dear in first-half injury time when the two diving incidents resulted in bookings - first O'Neil who stumbled under the attentions of Emmerson Boyce and Cattermole.

And minutes later Alves fell on the halfway line close to Cattermole and was booked.

Michael Brown missed a fine chance to give the visitors the lead in the 66th minute when substitute Hugo Rodallega found space to fire in a cross from the right and Brown's volley in front of goal squirted narrowly wide.

The lively Rodallega latched onto a long ball from Mario Melchiot but could only steer an attempted lob over Jones' bar.