Middlesbrough 3 Swansea 0: Alvaro Negredo bags a brace to increase the pressure on Swansea boss Bob Bradley

THE pressure has increased on Swansea boss Bob Bradley after Alvaro Negredo’s brace helped fellow strugglers Middlesbrough to a vital three points at the Riverside.

Marten de Roon scored the other goal as Boro eased to victory, and at the same time showed they can lace on their shooting boots.

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Middlesbrough took the lead in the 18th minute thanks to the man nicknamed "The Beast". Adam Clayton played a ball into the box, and Negredo held off Neil Taylor before firing past the keeper from 12 yards.

And the Spanish striker scored his second from the penalty spot after Swansea defender Jordi Amat had fouled Adam Forshaw in the box.

Things got even better for Boro in the second half when Marten de Roon made it 3-0. when he finished from close range after good work from Gaston Ramirez.

Facts, Stats, Goals and Lols

• England manager Gareth Southgate was a surprise return visitor to the Riverside. Surely there were more appealing-looking matches the former Middlesbrough boss could have picked.
• Southgate was believed to have been checking on the form of Boro central defender Ben Gibson. The former England under-21 ace has been a tower of strength during his team’s difficult run.
• Swansea’s pre-match total of 12 points was their worst ever Premier league haul after 16 games. This latest defeat made matters worse, allowing Boro to move six points clear of the Welsh side.

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PA:Press Association

• Swans fans were not too downhearted by that sorry statistic – they pointed out they were in the bottom three at Christmas last year, but managed to stay up. They did have two more points 12 months ago though
• Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka reacted to his team’s 3-0 home defeat to Liverpool by declaring this becomes an even more important game – but I don’t want to put pressure on us”. Funny way of showing it.
• Boro fans were at least hoping for a more attacking approach from their side - and thankfully, they got it. Going into this game they were bottom of the league for goals scored (13), goal attempts (146), AND shots on target (41)

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• The last match between these team at the Riverside was a seven goal Championship thriller five years ago – with-Swansea coming from 3-1 down to edge it thanks to a 94th minute strike from Craig Beattie. At 3-0 down, the Welsh club’s fans optimistically chanted: "We’re going to win 4-3 – again!”
• This was the first Premier League clash between the side sides since 1982 – an indication of how difficult it has been for both teams to really establish themselves in the top flight.
• Swansea’s away record under Bob Bradley meant it was no surprise their back four struggled again. They had already conceded 15 goals in Bradley’s first five matches away from the Liberty Stadium. Three a game seems to be par for the course
• Lancashire referee Neil Swarbrick must be tempted to take up residence on the east side of the Pennines – he took charge of the Sunderland-Chelsea game in midweek, and this was his fourth visit to the Riverside this season.

PA:Press Association

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Big Picture

Social Says

Dream Team Ratings

Middlesbrough (4-2-3-1): Valdes 7,  Barragan, 7 Gibson 7, Chambers 7, Fabio 7; Clayton 7, de Roon 7; Ramirez 7 (Friend, 62, 6), Fischer 6 (Downing 12, 6), Forshaw 8; Negredo 9.

Subs: Bernardo, Leadbitter, Rhodes, Guzan, Traoré.

Booked: Negredo.

Goals: Negredo (18, 29p), de Roon (58).

Swansea (4-2-3-1): Fabianski 5; Rangel 7, Amat 5, Mawson 6, Taylor 6; Britton 5(Fer, 70), Fulton 6; Routledge 6, (Montero, 77, 6) Sigurdsson 6, Barrow 6 (Bastón, 59 6), Llorente 6.

Subs: van der Hoorn, Nordfeldt, Cork, Naughton.

Booked: None.

Goals: None.

Star Man: Alvaro Negredo

What they said

Swans boss Bob Bradley: "Same story. A number of games we've started in a positive way then give away a goal. We go down one-zero. The goal goes in in a strange way. We then give the PK. We put ourselves in the hole. It's been a case of road matches, but now we have two games at home.

"We're disappointed right now. We came in with a good idea. We turn our attention to the home matches over the Christmas period."