Boro now find themselves in the thick of the relegation battle after collecting just one point from their last six games.

Despite adopting enterprising tactics and levelling through Jeremie Aliadiere, they slipped to a 4-1 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford yesterday.

It was their fourth successive Barclays Premier League defeat and their fifth in all competitions including a Carling Cup reverse at crisis-club Tottenham.

And while Southgate could still find more positives to take out of the reverse than the one Boro suffered against Chelsea at the Riverside a week earlier, he accepts it is results, rather than words, that are required just now.

"Results are what it is about and we need to pick up some points," he admitted.

"We are in a position we are not comfortable with. We knew there was a strong possibility of that before the weekend's fixtures but, while we have to accept it, we don't like it.

"But there is no need for panic. What we have to do over the next seven or eight games leading up to Christmas is steadily pick our way out of it."

As with Tottenham, the Boro supporters remain behind their manager and, unlike the White Hart Lane hierarchy, chairman Steve Gibson will give Southgate as long as possible to turn the situation around, heeding the call for patience espoused in his programme notes by Sir Alex Ferguson.

However, as long as his side continue leaking goals, Southgate knows they will have problems.

United's crucial second was a perfect case in point. Having wriggled his way into space, inside his own box, Stewart Downing should have simply punted the ball away from danger.

Instead, the England international hesitated, allowing Nani to toe the ball into the path of Wayne Rooney, who fired home instantly to set United on their way to victory.

"Stewart is down but he needs to get his head up because he is an important player for us," said Southgate.

"I am not blaming individuals. It is a collective effort and we are all making mistakes."

So unsure is Southgate about the defensive capabilities of his side that he sees no merit in heading to places like Old Trafford with the sole intention of blocking out the opposition, as many clubs have done.

His preference is for a more free-flowing approach, although it seems the progress anticipated after last season's encouraging 12th-place finish will not be forthcoming.

"I hate losing and I don't like sitting here every week explaining defeats," said Southgate.

"But we are where we are and we have to get on with it.

"There is only this group of players and coaches who can work their way out of it, but it is going to be a slow process because there has been an ongoing change at the club over the past 18 months.

"That change has to keep happening. Sir Alex has said in his programme notes that takes time and people have to be patient.

"I wanted it to be a meteoric rise this season from what we had last year. But when you look at what we have lost and who we have been without, I have to be realistic about how quickly that change can take place."