Middlesbrough 0 Man City 2: Beleaguered Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce was handed a lifeline as his players snatched a precious Premiership victory at Middlesbrough.
The former England international, who headed for Teesside with his employment prospects far from encouraging, set off home with three points and the cheers of his club's travelling supporters ringing in his ears just days after facing a torrent of abuse at Blackburn.
Sylvain Distin's 61st-minute strike - only the club's second in seven league games - and Emile Mpenza's first for the club, 17 minutes from time, ended a run of five successive Premiership defeats and eased the pressure on chairman John Wardle to act.
The only disappointment for Pearce was an injury which forced Micah Richards off before the break, causing concern too for England boss Steve McClaren.
Gareth Southgate's gamble in leaving Jonathan Woodgate and Mark Viduka out of his starting line-up ahead of Monday night's FA Cup quarter-final replay at Manchester United backfired spectacularly.
A large proportion of the 26,427 spectators who were there for the start had long gone by the time the final whistle sounded, but those who were left made their feelings abundantly clear with an injury to Emanuel Pogatetz adding to their woes.
By the time Pearce headed for the dressing room at half-time, he could not have been unhappy with much of what he had seen in the opening 45 minutes, but would have been acutely aware of how costly missed chances could prove.
In a half of few genuine opportunities, City enjoyed two of the best, midfielder Joey Barton dragging a fifth-minute shot wide of the far post and Mpenza missing with a header when the goal was at his mercy 24 minutes later.
City started the second half the brighter, keeper Mark Schwarzer needing two attempts to collect substitute Georgios Samaras' header from a 49th-minute Darius Vassell cross.
Skipper Richard Dunne drilled the free-kick into the defensive wall, but his side was ahead two minutes later.
Boro failed to deal with Barton's corner and when Mpenza headed the ball back across goal, Distin had time to control before slamming a shot into the roof of the net.
Yakubu sent a 64th-minute header inches wide and Southgate immediately sent on Viduka in place of Euell in a bid to find a way back into the game.
However, the points had gone with 17 minutes remaining when the impressive Barton picked off Cattermole's loose pass and slid the ball in to Mpenza, whose instinctive finish sent the travelling fans into raptures.
The Belgian was booked for over-celebrating, but Pearce could have been forgiven had he joined him after an intensely difficult week ended with a first win at Boro since 1977.
