Manchester City trailed twice before Gabriel Jesus’ late goal gave them a long-awaited point, thus keeping the club in the top four and also ahead of Manchester United.
Middlesbrough have managed to settle in the bottom three, although caretaker-manager Steve Agnew will be granted huge encouragement by this show.
They led through Alvaro Negredo’s goal right before a controversial penalty scored by Sergio Aguero, though Middlesbrough demonstrated the spirit, which might keep the club up when Calum Chambers brought them back in front.
Obviously, they nearly held on, although Jesus, one of several shocking choices by City chief Pep Guardiola managed to save City.
Agnew had foreseen before the play that Negredo would appear to be the guy feared by City, exactly where he scored 23 as they grasped the league title three years ago.
As for City, they couldn’t have any complaints. The team’s start was confident enough when after 45 seconds Sergio Aguero fired across the face of the Boro goal, though in the opening half it was the closest the club came to a goal.