Southgate: 'If Scolari Can Be Sacked - Who Is Safe'?

"I don't feel I need it as I know the internal backing I have. You need to know that internally you have support as that allows you to do your job.

"I've seen young managers go this season and I've seen a World Cup winner go (Paul Ince, Tony Adams and Luis Felipe Scolari).

"You accept the pitfalls and it focuses more on what you believe in, trying to do deal with what you can control.

"My job is to keep us in this division and I'm not thinking about the scenario of failing.

"If we don't make it I'll be the one to take responsibility for that - I've no issue with that."

Second-from-bottom Boro, who are two points away from safety, are away at relegation rivals Stoke on Saturday.