Neville happy with Man Utd position

Gary Neville believes the clash with Middlesbrough on Monday could put Manchester United on the home straight in the Premier League title run-in.

Manager Sir Alex Ferguson has always maintained his side will be favourites for the championship if they reach the new year in touch with the leading group.

And after ending the Boxing Day round of matches seven points behind leaders Liverpool with two games in hand, the confidence is growing at Old Trafford that the title can once again be theirs.

Both Liverpool and Chelsea failed to take full advantage of United's recent trip to Japan for the Club World Cup which forced them to reschedule a league fixture.

United returned from the Far East to claim a hard-fought victory at Stoke City – the first win for one of the established 'big four' clubs in twenty days.

And with Ferguson's side set to face all the current top six at home in the second half of the season, club captain Neville believes United are best placed of all the main challengers to go on and seal the trophy in May.

“The first half of the season was always going to be difficult with the Super Cup and World Championship,” said Neville.

“We have got through that now and are no worse off. If we can get those two home matches in hand won and win the games in between, we are in a great position.

“The manager made the point in his team talk at Stoke that we are starting the league from that point. We would have taken the position at the start of the season with all the fixtures difficulties we have had.”

Ferguson agreed with his skipper despite suffering the disappointment of seeing centre-back Rio Ferdinand ruled out for ten days with a back problem.

The manager said: “We have a long programme of home games in the run-in against the top teams. If we get to New Year's Day within a point or so of the leaders, I think we will have a massive chance.”

Jonny Evans deputised for Ferdinand at the Britannia Stadium and the Northern Ireland international will start against Middlesbrough.

Ferguson added: “Jonny is an outstanding talent and we are fortunate to have such a boy to come in. He's only 20 years of age but shows such maturity. He reads the game well, uses the ball well and his pace his good. He has all the attributes to be a top player.”

At the other end of the scale, Gareth Southgate admits he's living on borrowed time at Middlesbrough if he can't arrest their nosedive towards the Championship.

Despite his close working relationship with Steve Gibson, Southgate knows the club's current barren run is testing the resolve of a chairman who has a track record for backing struggling bosses.

Monday's daunting trip to Old Trafford looks like plunging the Teessiders into further trouble, and Southgate admits he has to start producing the results to rely on Gibson's sustained support.

“Steve's been loyal because we've done what's been asked of us and he knows the circumstances we're working under,” he said.

“But if we're not doing the job and not getting results, then I don't expect him to treat me any differently to any other chairman. It's not something I take for granted.”

After two-and-a-half years in the job, Southgate has been given more time than many of his rivals in the cut-throat world of management.

The pressure is building after just three points from seven winless games left Middlesbrough out of the bottom three only on goal difference on Boxing Day.

Southgate said: “You give everything you've got, you do the job to the best of your ability and if it's not enough then you hold your hands up, you shake hands and you move on.

“These are testing times but we've known that all along. We'll draw upon our experience to get ourselves out of the situation we're in.”