Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka has said that he is "confident" that his side will avoid relegation from the Premier League this season.

Boro fell to a 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane this evening - a result which, coupled with the day's other scores, leaves them just one point clear of the bottom three.

However, Karanka was pleased with his side's performance and believes that similar displays throughout the rest of the campaign will be enough to secure their Premier League status.

"At the end we had a few chances to score. I said at half time the way we had to play, without pressure. If you are here playing under pressure against Tottenham it is impossible and at the end we had chances to score," he told BBC Sport.

"The players did their best and that is the good thing. They put everything on the pitch. We showed that we can compete against the best teams. We have to keep going with this attitude and commitment. If we do we will win more games.

"Again, we have to know it will be a tough season but we are showing we can compete against every single team. I am confident (of surviving relegation). With these players, knowing they will do their best every day, that is the main thing as a coach. Playing the way we have in the last few games, we will win games."

Boro have now failed to win any of their last seven Premier League games.