The Middlesbrough manager was targeted by a large section of fans after the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa.

Relegation is not a mathematical certainty but Boro will only stay up if several results go their way, and Southgate insisted he still would want to bring Boro back up.

Asked if the booing affected his desire to stay at the club whatever, Southgate said: "It has an impact I have to say.

"But I think emotions run high after a game like that, mine were high and so were the emotions of the supporters.

"Whatever happens at the end of the season, I am going to go on holiday and if we didn't stay in this league I would want to take the team back up, I'm pretty clear on that.

"But sometimes a reaction like that has a short-term impact on you - there's no question.

"I live with this hour by hour, not a day goes by when I don't wake up thinking about it, and not an evening goes by without me going to bed think about it.

"I would be lying if I said it didn't hurt, but I am big enough to deal with it."

There was another blow for Southgate after Stewart Downing left the field on a stretcher after damaging his foot and looks certain to miss the last weekend of the season.

Southgate added: "Stewart started the game very well and looked as if he was on his game.

"It's another blow and it's incredible at a time when you want everyone fit and available we have lost six players in the last fortnight."

Southgate said his players had run out of steam after a excellent first-half show, and blamed "a 30-second spell of madness" for the equaliser when Boro spurned several chances to clear.

"It's going to be a very tall order for us now, we just have to try to win our game and see what happens elsewhere," he said.

"But there are sure to be twists and turns on the way."

Opposite number Martin O'Neill expressed sympathy for Southgate who had seen his side take the lead through Tuncay before John Carew secured a 1-1 draw.

O'Neill said: "I have great regard for Gareth Southgate and I think he has approached his managership full of integrity and will learn from this experience.

"He is an excellent manager in the making without question and I do feel for him of course and I know something of what he will be feeling.

"He is working with a wonderful chairman and I think Gareth Southgate will be a quality manager."

O'Neill admitted Villa's first-half performance had been disappointing.

"It was a tough old game and we didn't play well enough in the first half," he added.

"We were much better in the second half and it was always possible we would get the second goal as Middlesbrough pressured to regain the lead and we had a lot of chances.

"Our recent performances have not been bad, we just have not had the results to go with it."