Middlesbrough midfielder Jonny Howson has conceded his team’s hopes of automatic promotion are gone now and insists they must now focus on sealing a playoff spot in the Championship.
Boro suffered a third straight defeat in the Championship for the first time since 2013 on Saturday, when they succumbed to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Aston Villa.
Tony Pulis’ men allowed their opponents to move within a point of them in the league table as goals from Anwar El Ghazi, John McGinn and Albert Adomah sealed maximum points for the hosts at Villa Park.
And in the wake of their disappointing defeat adding to a wretched run of form, Howson has conceded Middlesbrough’s hopes of gaining automatic promotion are now gone.
The 30-year-old also insisted Boro must now solely focus on sealing at least a playoff spot in their bid to secure a return to the top flight at the end of the season.
“We’re obviously disappointed at what’s gone on”, Howson was quoted as saying by the Northern Echo.
“Two or three weeks ago, if we had put a run together, who knows what might have happened in terms of the top two?
“That’s obviously gone now, so our focus has to be to get in the play-offs.”
Howson, who joined Boro from Norwich City in 2017, will next face his former side at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday in the Championship.
