IT was a vignette that betrayed Massimo Maccarone's lack of conviction in front of goal; that summed up how Middlesbrough's record signing is suffering from a confidence crisis.

After Gareth Southgate strode forward to trigger a Boro attack and Joseph-Desire Job supplied Maccarone with a pass 25 yards out, the Italian had the perfect opportunity to end his barren run.

But instead of surging towards goal in the 20th minute, Maccarone activated a get-out clause, cutting inside and running into a posse of Manchester City defenders.

Chances were to come and go for the £8.15m man - "I don't think Massimo could have gone any closer to scoring," noted Steve McClaren - but the unavoidable, unpalatable fact is he has now gone eight games without a goal.

After his hugely promising start to the season, the Italy international's career has suddenly hit a full stop. Four goals in 15 games is not the return that McClaren anticipated when he plucked Maccarone from Serie B's Empoli.

While managers frequently profess not to be concerned by a forward's goal drought - "I'm not worried as long as he keeps getting into scoring positions," is the oft-used argument - it was what Maccarone did when he found himself in front of goal that might cause a little consternation on Teesside.

Maccarone had no excuse for not hitting the target when he beat Peter Schmeichel and Richard Dunne to Job's cross - but he did not attack the ball sufficiently, and his header sailed harmlessly wide.

Compare his approach with that of Nicolas Anelka, whose ability dwarfs that possessed by the rest of a City team that are destined for a season of struggle.

Four minutes after half time, and with the game still goalless, Anelka picked up the ball 40 yards from the Middlesbrough net.

The Frenchman had just one thing on his mind, and after bursting forward he unleashed a long-range drive that was too hot for Mark Schwarzer to handle.

Given the same opportunity, Maccarone would doubtless have looked for the simple pass. But then again, Anelka is in a rich vein of form; the Boro No.9 is not.

Of course, when strikers are struggling to find a goal, the only luck they have is bad luck.

So it proved in the dying stages, firstly when Maccarone had a "goal" disallowed for offside and then when he beat Schmeichel again - and saw the ball strike Niclas Jensen on the thigh and ricochet away.

Not that Middlesbrough manager McClaren, who held a meeting with his goal-shy forwards last week and was rewarded with Alen Boksic's first strike since March, is unduly concerned by Maccarone's lean spell.

McClaren said: "I thought Massimo and Alen were outstanding with regard to their work rate, attitude and so on.

"I said before the game that we weren't panicking about the strikers not scoring goals as long as they did everything else right, and they did that.

"Alen's goal was just reward for his effort and he can help Massimo.

"Ask any goalscorer and they'll tell you they want to score goals. No matter how they play, they're disappointed if they don't score.

"I don't think Massimo could have gone any closer to scoring. He just missed in the first half and had a goal disallowed in the second half.

"Then, he would have scored, but a player stood on the line was hit on the backside by his shot. What does he have to do?

"But we saw he's a very good player. Eventually he'll score, and once he does that he'll be flying."

Job was the most likely source of a first half goal, but he failed to turn home Geremi's header and then saw a snapshot flash just wide.

The deadlock was broken in the 53rd minute by Ugo Ehiogu, who soared highest five yards out to plant a header from Geremi's freekick into the City net.

Nine minutes later, Boksic nodded past Schmeichel from another of Geremi's left-wing crosses as City's defence had again gone AWOL.

Jonathan Greening's misplaced clearance started a chain of events that ended with Anelka halving the deficit from close range midway through the second half.

But the sending off of Shaun Wright-Phillips after 72 minutes for a crude challenge on Greening brought City's revival to a shuddering halt.

Middlesbrough played some flowing football against ten men, and they secured the three points when Geremi fired home after the visitors had failed to clear the danger after Maccarone's shot struck Jensen.

City manager Kevin Keegan said: "I don't think we can have any arguments about the scoreline. Middlesbrough used the one-man advantage very well.

"Providing Middlesbrough keep everybody fit and have a bit of luck, they will do very well. They have a good side and a strong bench.

"But if they lose one or two players, then like all of us they'll struggle.

"I think Steve McClaren has done a great job here. They've got a good home record and they'll always pick up some away wins."

Result: Middlesbrough 3 Manchester City 1.

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