Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka has admitted to being "disappointed" by his side's disjointed display in their 1-0 defeat to fellow strugglers Crystal Palace.

The Smoggies deservedly fell behind to Patrick van Aanholt's strike 34 minutes in at Selhurst Park and were unable to recover in the remainder of the contest.

Boro, without a win in nine league games, did recover in the second half and came close through Christian Stuani and Fabio da Silva, but the division's lowest scorers could not find a way through for a third game in succession.

"Today we are disappointed because we lost against a direct opponent," Karanka told the club's official website. "In the past, when we have played against teams around us in the table we have been much better than them. But the way we approached the game wasn't the best.

"I thought the team knew how important this game was, but the first half told me we didn't realise that. The attitude in the second half was completely different, but I don't understand sometimes why we need to have a reaction.

"The team knows how good we are when we do the right things and the things we have to do. We can't make these mistakes, and we have to realise that every single week, the game become more important. We have lost today, but we have more games and we have to keep going."

Boro have won just four games all season in the Premier League - fewer than any other side - and have only 19 goals to their name.