Middlesbrough remain deep in trouble despite a 0-0 draw with Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium.
The result leaves Boro currently five points away from immediate safety, although they still have one game in hand.
Martin Olsson struck across goal early on for the hosts and Victor Valdes was required to turn aside from Jordan Ayew.
Adam Clayton was too high after a couple of charged down efforts at the other end before Tom Carroll replied wide of the mark.
The Teessiders lost Gaston Ramirez ahead of the break and Rudy Gestede was introduced in his place; but it was Adama Traore shooting wide early in the second period.
Home keeper Lukasz Fabianski next denied Alvaro Negredo, although his opposite number Valdes was more seriously tested by Gylfi Sigurdsson.
Sigurdsson also had a free-kick deflect narrowly behind off Adam Forshaw before Alfie Mawson threatened with a header from the resultant corner.
Boro substitute Gestede then headed wide Negredo’s cross in added time as neither team could find the victory they really needed.
Swansea City: Fabianski, Naughton, Fernandez, Mawson, Olsson, Fer, Cork, Carroll, Narsingh, Ayew, Sigurdsson
subs (unused): Ki Sung-yueng, van der Hoorn, Baston, Nordfeldt, Montero, Kingsley, McBurnie
Middlesbrough: Valdes, Barragan, Bernardo, Gibson, Fabio (Forshaw 65), de Roon, Clayton, Traore, Ramirez (Gestede 39), Downing, Negredo
subs (unused): Ayala, Leadbitter, Guzan, Stuani, Guedioura
Ref: R. Madley
Att: 20,354
Share this article
