"It was a mad day wasn't it?," said Southgate. "I think from our point of view, I don't think we've had a lot of good fortune this year and we seemed to get all our good fortune and all our goals in one day.

"Certainly, the turning point was (Richard Dunne's 15th-minute) sending-off and the important goal for us was the third because, even at 2-0, they have got some good players who could still keep the ball well.

"But we scored some brilliant goals and played some really good football and it was nice for our players to play without pressure. That is the first time we have been able to do that this season."

His Manchester City counterpart Sven Goran Eriksson said he expected a decision on his future "within hours" after watching his 10-man side slump to this embarrassing defeat.

The former England coach has guided the club to ninth in the Barclays Premier League - their best finish since Kevin Keegan led them to eighth in 2004-05.

There is also a likely place in the UEFA Cup awaiting via the Fair Play League, but that is probably not going to be enough to save Eriksson's job.

Thai owner Thaksin Shinawatra has already expressed his disappointment with the final outcome of Eriksson's 10 months in charge and the former Thai Prime Minister is fully expected to dispense with the Swede's services sooner rather than later.

"To live in the unsecure is never good for anyone, but I hope to not be living in the unsecure very soon, within hours," he said.

"I expect to speak to people - or they speak to me - from the owner's side, people in the club who work daily within the club. I have had no answer (about his future) yet."

Asked what effect the speculation about his job had on the players and the performance, Eriksson added: "You can never measure that."

The match began badly for City when striker Benjani Mwaruwari received lengthy treatment after being caught in the chest by Rochemback's swinging right leg and was eventually replaced by Nery Castillo in the 13th minute.

Boro's first chance fell to George Boateng from Rochemback's free-kick, but Dunne dived to block the shot at the expense of a corner.

From Rochemback's delivery, Afonso Alves completely missed his kick, but Julio Arca was behind him to curl a 20-yard shot narrowly wide.

The hosts took the lead in the 15th minute when Tuncay raced on to a long ball and, as he entered the penalty area, he accidentally caught Dunne's leg as the defender tried to get back.

The City captain was harshly dismissed by referee Phil Dowd and Stewart Downing clinically dispatched the penalty.

Andreas Isaksson then did well to smother Alves's close-range effort from Downing's 29th-minute corner, although his save was more down to luck than judgment.

Rochemback wasted the chance to shoot from 16 yards, instead passing to Tuncay and allowing City's defence to get back to block. But the next time the Brazilian went forward, the decision to pass paid off as he picked out compatriot Afonso Alves who slotted home left-footed in the 37th minute.

Late on in the half, Isaksson pulled off a superb save to deny Boateng just five yards out from Downing's left-wing cross.

Isaksson was soon into the action in the second half, parrying Rochemback's free-kick which was fortuitously awarded for Sun Jihai's foul on Downing and wrongly deemed to be outside the penalty area by Dowd.

Exactly the same scenario cost Sun a booking in the 54th minute, although Downing appeared to once again go looking for the obstruction.

But the England winger did something positive in the 57th minute when, after Boateng's right-wing cross was knocked on, he smashed a superb volley with the outside of his left foot inside the far post to end the match as a contest.

Two minutes later, Afonso Alves made it 4-0 when he raced on to Arca's through-ball to stab past Isaksson.

Chris Riggott then had a 'goal' wrongly disallowed for offside as Boro threatened to run riot.

City's luck was obviously not in as, in the 70th minute, Boro grabbed a fifth when Johnson's long-range shot was deflected past Isaksson.

Elano replaced Martin Petrov but, in truth, the visitors were just going through the motions.

Rochemback made it 6-0 with a 30-yard free-kick 10 minutes from time and substitute Aliadiere fired home the seventh in the 85th minute.

Elano scored a consolation before Afonso Alves completed his hat-trick.

Small pockets of fighting broke out between City supporters and stewards at the end of the match, with some seats being ripped out and thrown on to the pitch.

However, a strong police presence, which included dog handlers, soon quelled the violence.

Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Young (McMahon 75), Riggott, Wheater, Pogatetz, Boateng, Rochemback, Arca (Johnson 62), Downing, Sanli (Aliadiere 62), Alves. Unused substitutes: Turnbull, Taylor.

Manchester City: Isaksson, Jihai, Corluka, Dunne, Ball, Ireland, Gelson, Petrov (Elano 71), Garrido, Vassell (Hamann 62), Mwaruwari (Castillo 13). Unused substitutes: Hart, Caicedo.

Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire).