Boro go into the Riverside game tomorrow without a win in 11 League fixtures having taken just four points from a possible 33 and scoring just one goal in their last six top-flight outings.

Sitting third from bottom and level on 21 points with fellow relegation zone dwellers West Brom and Stoke, the Teessiders desperately need a win to boost confidence and their survival hopes.

But while Southgate naturally desires a three point haul from the match, he has stuck with his policy of treating the game just like any other.

"We can't view it any differently than we view every game," he said.

"We go into every game wanting to win. We know the task ahead of us, we know what Blackburn do well and what they don't do so well and it's another one of 38 games and we want to get the win.

"It's pointless talking about 'must-win matches' before a game. You want to win every game you go into. It's not a must-win if you win tomorrow and lose the next three, that's why there's no more importance on it than being the next game.

"If you say it's 'must win' and you lose, where do you go from there?"

Southgate believes shoots of recovery have been spotted over the past few days, pointing to last Saturday's gutsy 2-1 FA Cup win at Wolves and his side's battling midweek display at Chelsea which, but for two sloppy pieces of set-piece defending, might have resulted in a vital point gained.

"We go into the match on the back of two recent performances; a good win at Wolves and a performance where we did a lot of things right at Chelsea," he said.

"We want to build on that tomorrow. We know how everybody outside the club views the game and we would like to get on the winning trail so it's an important one for us.

"We've got to go and play football. We've got to try and get the ball down and attack Rovers.

"It's pointless us worrying about what they are going to do. We've got some good players in our squad, we're capable of scoring goals, we've not done it enough and we need that tomorrow.

"In any game of football you need to be solid and that's something we've not been good enough at."

So far this season, the Boro supporters have backed the team and the management, despite witnessing just one victory in the club's last nine home League games.

It is unlikely, however, that anything other than a win would satisfy the Riverside faithful tomorrow.

Southgate claims all he can do is focus on the job in hand.

"Whatever the crowd reaction is, we've got to deal with that, it's what we're paid to do," he said.

"We know that the fans want us to do well, we know that they are right behind what we are doing.

"We know that they'll not be happy with where we are in the table, but we can only take one step at a time and we're looking for a win that will take us above the team we play tomorrow and then we can build from that."

The manager is expected to give new loan signing Marlon King his home debut alongside Afonso Alves, but he has problems to resolve in midfield.

Both Didier Digard and Gary O'Neil are suspended, while Jeremie Aliadiere is still two weeks away from being considered.

There was one piece of good news to report, with Josh Walker declaring himself fit and available for selection 14 days ahead of schedule after suffering ligament damage against Sunderland earlier this month.

It is looking increasingly likely Southgate will have to manage with his existing midfield for the remainder of the season after revealing Boro's bid to sign Reading's James Harper looks doomed to failure.

He said: "I think it's unlikely to happen, to be honest. We're only three days from the transfer window and there are quite a few complications with the deal so I would think that's unlikely."

ends