Despite the winning goal coming in fortunate circumstances AP was pleased by the whole teams performance.
In his post-match comments Pardew said, “I’ve got to be honest; I thought that that was our best performance of the season. We’ve come up against a side with big reputation players and I thought we went about our business in a manner that was really pleasing.
“Middlesbrough don’t make things easy - the full backs don’t move much. The crowd had to be patient today and so did we. Although we created some half-chances during the first-half I was quite pleased.
”Second half, we got a little bit stale. The decision (to bring on Teddy Sheringham) was an easy one and I think most people in the ground would have made it.
”His first chance he sticks it away. That put us in the driving seat and it asked Middlesbrough to come out a bit and play. I always felt we could get a second goal – though not in the circumstances under which it arose.
”Usually the players’ reactions give you a good indication as to whether it’s a goal. I didn’t see too much reaction. I’ve now seen it and I don’t think it was a goal – in fact no way was it a goal. It was a fortunate break for us in that it gave us a cushion.
”In fact, us conceding at the end could have cost us points. A little break went our way today but in some ways we earned that. Sometimes it doesn’t work like that but today I felt we earned that break. So well done the linesman – was he Russian?!”