Middlesbrough blitz Southampton as promotion push gathers pace | OneFootball

Match in Five Sentences: Middlesbrough beat Southampton 4-0 to jump into second in the Championship. Morgan Whittaker opened the scoring in the 54th minute after a Matt Targett through ball. Boro seized control as Samuel Silvera made it two (61.), Whittaker added his second (66.) and Alan Browne sealed it (76.). Boro produced 22 attempts to Saints' 16 and forced 11 corners to five, reflecting sustained pressure. Boro rise from third to second, while The Saints drop from 14th to 15th, and Boro visit Fulham in the FA Cup next as The Saints travel to Doncaster in the same competition.

Player of the Match: Morgan Whittaker shaped the game with a clinical brace, firing two goals from six attempts and adding three key passes.

Stat of the Match: Boro won 83.3% of tackles, a sign of how effectively they smothered Saints' breaks.

Three Things We Learned: Targett's delivery and overlaps told, recording three key passes and an assist. Sol Brynn kept a clean sheet with four saves as Boro managed the game. The Saints attempted 16 shots but worked the goalkeeper only four times.