Aaron Ramsey and Cameron Archer scored after the break to turn the game on its head just moments after Swansea, who led at the interval 1-0 thanks to Joel Piroe’s 14th goal of the season, had a goal ruled out.

Top scorer Chuba Akpom netted from the penalty spot to seal a rousing comeback and leave Michael Carrick’s side just four points behind second-placed Sheffield United, who were beaten by Luton.

Boro boss Michael Carrick said: “There’s not much to change about our approach, it’s just about becoming better. We were calm and composed today, we stuck at it and believed, and that’s going to be key from now to the end of the season.

Middlesbrough's Cameron Archer (right) celebrates with team-mates Aaron Ramsey (left) and Chuba Akpom after scoring their side's second goal at Swansea (Picture: PA)

“We’ve got great togetherness and spirit within the group which we saw here (against Swansea). They made my job at half-time very easy and I didn’t really have to say a lot. They knew what they had to do and they stuck at it.”

Swansea City: Fisher, Cabango, Wood-Gordon, Latibeaudiere, Sorinola (Whittaker 84), Grimes, Fulton, Manning, Cundle (Paterson 70), Cooper (Ntcham 46), Piroe. Unused substitutes: Darling, Cullen, Sondergaard, Walsh.

Middlesbrough: Steffen, Smith, McNair, Lenihan, Giles, Howson, Hackney, McGree (Mowatt 90), Akpom (Finch 90), Ramsey (Bola 90), Archer (Forss 78). Unused substitutes: Barlaser, Dijksteel, Roberts.

Referee: P Bankes (Merseyside).

Middlesbrough ramp up heat on Sheffield United with burst of goals