DEFEAT to Leeds United sparked further criticism from the fans, but Middlesbrough defender Ben Gibson thinks a return to the Riverside is the perfect way to get things back on track.

Boro have suffered indifferent fortunes on home turf this season, having ended a three match run without a victory on Teesside by beating Sunderland in the last outing there.

Had Middlesbrough fared better at the Riverside this season then they would be in a far stronger position than they are, having won only half of their eight matches.

Heading into tonight’s visit of Birmingham the mood could have been brighter after losing at Leeds because the gap to the top two has increased.

But Gibson, knowing Derby County will then travel to the North-East on Saturday, thinks Middlesbrough have what it takes to make an immediate recovery.

He said: “We have taken a step backwards, we need to take two forward again now. We left Leeds analysed and reflected. It is what it is. We are disappointed, down and we knew what it meant to the fans. We wanted to come away with something.

“We started well this season, hit a rocky patch and beat Sunderland in the last game at home. We need to make it a fortress. We need to shut teams out and keep clean sheets. We didn’t manage to do that at Leeds, soft goals, we need to learn from those and I am sure we will do.

“Birmingham will not be rolled over. No team in the Championship ever does roll over. You know what you are getting. It is by no means a really negative camp, we are gutted for everyone but we have to bounce back.

“There’s no time to sulk. We didn’t think we were champions when we were winning games and we don’t think we are relegation fodder now we have lost one. We have to just put things right.”

Middlesbrough could have left Elland Road with a point on Sunday after rallying in the closing stages, pulling a goal back through Britt Assombalonga.

But Leeds had looked the better side for much of the game and that was enough to warrant a two-goal lead, with both goals coming from deliveries to the back post and a failure to close down a white shirt quickly enough.

Gibson said: “We didn’t get hold of the game like we can, albeit we had chances to get something out of the game. They scored two and it was from poor defending, hit the post, but I think we had more chances.

“We need to be right on it on Wednesday. You can’t give yourselves a mountain to climb and we did that at a tough place like Leeds. We need to be more streetwise at times.

“We need to make the Riverside a fortress and get six points this week. There’s not many teams who have come back from fallen behind as much as we have this season, so that shows our character. We didn’t quite manage to get a result at Leeds but we are still confident. We now need to beat Birmingham.”

Assombalonga’s goal actually prevented Middlesbrough from dropping out of the top six, just. The bigger picture, though, is that there is a sizeable gap to the automatic promotion places and that was the target at the start of the season – and still is now.

Gibson, knowing Wolves and Sheffield United are in the driving seat at this stage, said: “The gap has widened. You think back to two years ago and you know how hard it is to stay there.

“The gap will shorten, the gap will widen, there are tough games. It’s a rollercoaster. The two campaigns we had, the one in the play-offs and the one we were promoted, changed so much. There are teams that come from nowhere.

“It’s those who are there at the end of the season that matter. The year we went up I think Brighton were miles ahead at this stage, they didn’t even go up. We don’t have to look far into our memories to remember that.

“The year we went up and Brighton didn’t, Brighton were unbeaten for ages at the start of the season. They kept on winning. They didn’t get promoted. We have to be judged at the end of the season. You can see how soon fortunes can change. You have a good week and people will talk about promotion again.

“I feel we are starting to put things right. We got success in the previous three games. We didn’t play in the same way at Leeds, they took their chancers and we didn’t take ours. It is disappointing but we are not a million miles away from where we need to be. We want to go straight back up.”

Middlesbrough have Cyrus Christie available again tonight after suspensions. He will likely replace Connor Roberts at right-back, otherwise there are no fresh problems.

Middlebsrough: Randolph; Christie, Ayala, Gibson, Friend; Downing, Leadbitter, Howson, Tavernier; Braithwaite; Assombalonga.