Stewart Downing could be the key to help ensure Middlesbrough play top-flight football next season, according to manager Gareth Southgate.
The Boro boss says he has cleared the air with the midfielder after he put in a transfer request earlier this week, and he believes the fan favourite will guide the club to Premier League safety.
Downing turned in an inspired performance in front of appreciative fans during Boro's 1-1 draw against Sunderland at the Riverside and Southgate insists his commitment to the club was there for all to see.
"That's done and dusted as far as we're concerned and he's concerned," Southgate said of the transfer request.
"He's a Middlesbrough boy and he wants this club to be doing well. His frustration is that we are not higher up the table, but he knows that his job between now and the end of the season is to help us climb that table.
"He has accepted the stance we have taken, he understands it and as you saw in his performance today he's up for that challenge.
"He is a quality player. We need our quality players to perform and he certainly did today.
"I thought he covered every blade of grass, he was a threat going forward, he worked his socks off, he won tackles and he got back to tidy things up, so I thought his performance was a real highlight."
Despite relinquishing their slim one-goal lead to a Kenwyne Jones equaliser in the 82nd minute, Southgate says he was pleased with his side's performance and happy to take something from the game.
"Derby games often end up as draws," Southgate added.
"There is so much at stake for both teams. We needed to go on and get that second goal - that is what we spoke about at half-time, but we lost two players very early on in that half and they had been doing particularly well in the game.
"We have to settle for a point, but it's one more point and every point is crucial.
"We would have liked more, but a draw was about fair.
"It was important that we took something from the game. If you can't win you have to make sure you don't get beaten."
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