Avram Grant has been under intense pressure ever since he was appointed as Chelsea manager last September. Fans furious at Jose Mourinho's departure claim the only reason Grant got the job was because he is a friend of the club's billionaire owner Roman Abramovich.

Their frustration reached a peak last week when, with their side trailing 1-0 to title rivals Arsenal, taunts of "You don't know what you're doing" rang around Stamford Bridge, along with chants for Mourinho after Grant replaced Claude Makelele and Michael Ballack with Julian Belletti and Nicolas Anelka. It proved a masterstroke, however, as Chelsea fought back to win 2-1 and put themselves very firmly in the title frame.

On Sunday, Grant will be hoping to build on that result against Middlesbrough, whose manager Gareth Southgate admits he took pleasure from seeing a rival prove the critics wrong.

And Southgate believes the spirit shown by the Israeli has had a positive effect on the team.

"Chelsea are finishing very powerfully," said the manager. "They are particularly strong down the spine and they know exactly what they have to do.

"Avram Grant has that enormous expectation level which goes hand in hand with a club like Chelsea and they have had two dramatic cup disappointments.

"Their players are resilient, though, and I was especially pleased for Avram last Sunday. When he made his substitutions he was ripped apart but it worked like a dream and when that happens, it can be very satisfying."

Chelsea have already beaten Middlesbrough 2-0 this season and Southgate admits his side were poor that day so is keen to make amends at the Bridge.

"My philosophy is that, if you're going to lose, at least die having a go and that is what I want our approach to be on Sunday," he said. "I remember Avram had just taken over when they came to us, they scored early and then it was comfortable for them after that."

A fortnight ago Middlesbrough put a big dent in Arsenal's title ambitions with a 1-1 draw and Southgate's side follow up their Blues date with a clash against Premier League leaders Manchester United at the Riverside.

The Boro manager is in no doubt the title race is now a two-horse race.

"For me, it's between Manchester United and Chelsea now," he said.

"Arsenal have had a remarkable season considering they are a young, emerging team and if anyone had said at the start of the season they would have finished where they are now, then most people would have accepted that considering where they are in their progression.

Last season Middlesbrough finished mid-table and Southgate would be perfectly happy with a similar finish this time. His team have had some encouraging recent results - the Arsenal one being the pick of them - and he said: "We're almost there. We need one good result, perhaps four points to be absolutely sure, to see us through.

"It's been difficult because we lost our top two strikers, Mark Viduka and Yakubu, last summer and replaced them with younger, less experienced players.

"It's taken time and we were in the bottom three for a chunk of the season. We've brought in players like Gary O'Neill and Luke Young though and I believe we're a stronger all-round team now.

"As a manager it's been a different challenge for me this year. In my first season I was getting to grips with every part of the job but this year it's been more a case of beginning the team rebuilding programme."

As a player Southgate was a principled individual and he has adhered to those standards since becoming a manager.

The former England centre-half may have criticised the Football Association's decision to increase Jeremie Aliadiere's punishment following his appeal against a red card received in the recent defeat at Liverpool but he applauds the campaign to improve players' behaviour.

"It's a strange situation really, because we have one of the poorest records in the top flight League in terms of yellow cards but only two of those have been for dissent.

"It's something we're trying to eradicate altogether, though, because it's a pointless exercise and it may be that referees will have to start sending players off before there is a significant change."