WHEN David Silva pounced in the six-yard box to convert Pablo Zabaleta’s volleyed centre with just 126 seconds gone at the Riverside Stadium, it was easy to fear the worst for everyone connected with Middlesbrough.

After the events of the previous two away defeats in the Premier League at Crystal Palace and Stoke City, where sections of fans turned on Aitor Karanka, the last thing the Boro head coach needed was a calamitous scoreline against Manchester City.

Had there been a collapse of humiliating proportions, and the 30,000 crowd had really gone for Karanka, then it is not beyond the realms of possibility that he could have even lost his job.

Only Steve Gibson, the chairman who was at Saturday’s matches, will truly know his own feelings on pulling the plug on Karanka’s reign.

Rather than suffer an embarrassing defeat in a FA Cup quarter-final tie that still resulted in an exit, Middlesbrough found a way to at least go down fighting. There was spirit seeping through the performance and it ensured there was no disgrace by the River Tees.

Karanka said: “After conceding a goal at the beginning of the game the reaction was good. We can’t forget we’re playing against one of the best teams in the league and the Champions League, and they rested players to face us. They thought we were a strong team.

“But the players on the pitch were amazing, losing 2-0 and working the way they did, and I couldn’t be prouder of them. I told them after the game this is the only way. We didn’t show that against Palace and Stoke, but playing the way we did, doing it all season is the only way.

“We know as a team we don’t have the individuals other teams do, but we have to work together and hard every day. I have to take positive things, and the reaction was perfect.”

A bubbling atmosphere at the first whistle could have completely evaporated once Silva had beaten Brad Guzan in those early exchanges. Instead, the fans remained behind the players and that contributed to the resilience shown in the first half.

Question marks do have to be raised about why Middlesbrough started with an intention to frustrate Manchester City’s attacking riches because it merely invited pressure on themselves. Fortunately, the home side defended strongly to prevent a second in the opening quarter of an hour.

Suddenly Middlesbrough found their feet. Whether Karanka made a tactical decision it is hard to know, though City’s shaky backline was put under greater pressure because of a high press.

Rudy Gestede went close with two headers, the first of which saw Zabaleta clear off the line after an initial save from goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, and at that point Middlesbrough looked like they might pull level.

The aerial presence of Gestede caused problems. When he hobbled off holding his hamstring it affected the way Middlesbrough played, despite Alvaro Negredo’s willingness to work hard in the final third, often on his own.

Just the show of character and a desire to push forward provided encouragement to the supporters, who stayed with the team and the head coach just a week after many had called for Karanka ‘to go home’ after losing at Stoke.

Such fighting spirit, even if Manchester City did take command in the second half and could have won by more than two, will be required in the final 11 matches of the season if they are to stay in the Premier League.

Karanka hinted afterwards that some of his players aren’t showing the sort of desire he is looking for, suggesting that hometown winger Stewart Downing and January buy Patrick Bamford are two of those – even if he selected Gaston Ramirez ahead of them, who had wanted to leave in January and has played poorly since.

The Middlesbrough boss explained: “I always need fight, but in the difficult moments I need 18 fighters in my team and the day they show me that they are ready to play, they are fighting, and they are going to fight for this club is on the training ground every day. I am with them every day and on a Friday I will always choose 18 fighters.”

Asked if Ramirez had shown more fight than Bamford and Downing, Karanka added: “This week, much more. This week because I had to choose 18 players for this game and I have to speak about this week.”

Despite being pleased with the spirit of Middlesbrough – epitomised by Grant Leadbitter and Marten de Roon’s displays in midfield – they could have lost heavily in the end.

Manchester City took command in the second half and created a wave of chances, with Guzan equal to a lot of them. He denied Aguero, Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling a number of times. His best save was when he turned Aguero’s flick on to the post shortly after the break.

But the crucial blow saw Guzan beaten with 23 minutes remaining when predatory Argentine striker Aguero move ahead of Fabio da Silva at the near post to cushion Sane’s perfect centre inside the keeper’s right-hand post.

It was cruel on Guzan during an impressive seventh appearance for the club which could be his last as he has tended to play only in cup games and has agreed to join MLS side Atlanta United in the summer.

Karanka, who had Victor Valdes on the bench, said: “It was not a surprise for me how Brad played. Every single day he is doing perfect for me. When you sign a player you know what they are like. I knew I was signing a good keeper and a good professional. He showed that.”

Middlesbrough’s chances of reaching Wembley were always slim being paired with Manchester City in the last eight and so it proved on an afternoon when Pep Guardiola was satisfied with his first visit to the Riverside.

His compatriot Karanka knows he has 11 cup finals of his own to concentrate on if Middlesbrough are to solve their goalscoring problems and climb out of the Premier League’s bottom three.

He said: “I can take a lot of positives and I prefer to take the positive things for the match.

“For a start, we’ve recovered our consistency and confidence. When you’re playing against the best teams in the league you know you have to go to the pitch at your best, though even with that they scored against us. We need to carry that confidence and consistency into the league.”