RAY Parlour has told his Middlesbrough team-mates to face up to the reality of their Premiership predicament and admitted Saturday's defeat to Wigan has left them embroiled in a "relegation fight".

With Birmingham firing five past struggling Portsmouth, Neil Mellor's last-gasp winner left the Teessiders three points clear of the drop zone on Saturday evening.

On paper, Steve McClaren's squad is more than strong enough to pull clear of the bottom three. But, with the club's last Premiership win having come on November 20, the alarm bells are ringing ahead of a crucial trip to basement boys Sunderland next Tuesday.

Despite his 13 years as a professional, Parlour has yet to experience the unique pressures of a battle against the drop.

And, while there are still 16 games in which to turn things around, the former England international is refusing to play down the seriousness of Boro's plight.

"Is it a relegation fight? Of course it is," said Parlour, who is currently at a training camp in Marbella with the rest of the Boro squad. "You can't say that it isn't.

"We're fourth from bottom and, if you want to, you can say 'Yeah, we'll be okay'. But everybody has to dig in now and be counted for.

"We can't go hiding. A lot of the teams at the bottom of the table are used to being down there so they'll know how to dig in.

"We have to make sure we dig in ourselves. We got ourselves into this, so we have to get ourselves out of it. It's as simple as that really.

"I'm sure everybody's behind us in the team - the players want to stick together and do the best for Middlesbrough."

Saturday's defeat marked Parlour's first senior start since the UEFA Cup win over Xanthi on September 15.

With Stewart Downing and Gareth Southgate also having started against Wigan, Boro have welcomed three of their senior stars back at the most opportune of moments.

The likes of Lee Cattermole, Adam Johnson and Matthew Bates have given their all since the turn of the year but, as the threat of relegation continues to loom large, the addition of three experienced heads could prove crucial in the final four months of the season.

"The kids have done well and this is a great learning curve for them," said Parlour. "Cattermole in midfield had another great game and he looks a very good prospect for this club.

"Middlesbrough have always had a good youth system, but now it's up to the senior pros to pull these boys through.

"It's time for us to come to the fore. We have to try and help the kids.

"They've shown a great willingness and they've had a go. I think every senior pro at the club is behind them.

"The young players who have come through have done great, but now it's down to us to keep it going. I'm sure we can do it."

Parlour picked up a minor ankle knock in the latter stages of Saturday's game but, crucially, there was no repeat of the knee cartilage injury that sidelined him for most of the first half of the season.

"I've been out for a long while - 15 weeks - but my fitness on Saturday was good," he added. "Playing the full 90 minutes will have done my general fitness levels the power of good."

Tony McMahon should be the next long-term absentee to make a first-team comeback after recovering from the shoulder problem that has ruled him out of action this season.

The full-back will play in this evening's reserve game with West Brom.

The right-back slot has been a problem area for McClaren this season, and the Boro boss is understood to have made an attempt to sign Chelsea defender Glen Johnson on loan.

Sources in London claim McClaren has inquired about Johnson's availability, only to be told the England hopeful is going nowhere following fellow full-back Wayne Bridge's move to Fulham.

The lack of a right-back stems from Abel Xavier's failed drugs test in September, and Boro officials sought to draw a line under the affair yesterday by finally cancelling the Portuguese defender's contract.

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