Middlesbrough 0 Aston Villa 4: McClaren for England, plead fans

Unlike their more passionate north-east neighbours, Middlesbrough have watched their team's decline without outrageous complaint, but all that changed when Moore carefully clipped home his third in the 64th minute. One fan was applauded as he dashed down the touchline with more pace than those on the pitch and flung his season ticket into the dugout.

The gesture prompted a chant of "out, out, out" which, as the Teessiders regained their dignified detachment, turned into an ironic chorus of "McClaren for England".

This was a dismal team performance in that Boro had nowt up front, little heart in midfield and only calamity at the back. "I fully understand the frustration and anger of everybody," said McClaren. "We have let the fans down and they have every right to criticise and demonstrate. We have to make sure we do something about it.

"The players are quiet, distraught, some of the younger ones are in tears. It is not a good situation to be in and only we can get ourselves out of it. That's what we are going to do.''

Middlesbrough were on the back foot from the 25th second when the thoroughly impressive James Milner forced the first corner. Milner's subtle probing gave Moore early aerial dominance over Emanuel Pogatetz, while Kevin Phillips ghosted unseen into haunting positions. Middlesbrough's strike force - Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Mark Viduka - were invisible. They disappeared entirely for the second half, replaced by substitutes.

Moore's opener came in the 18th minute. Jlloyd Samuel's cross was tastefully flicked on by Phillips and the 19-year-old volleyed home from a few yards. It was Phillips' turn a few minutes later as Milner's appetising cross came swinging over. Pogatetz stood off, Phillips stooped and delightfully deflected the ball into the net.

Moore's scoring burst came just after the hour. Milner undid Southgate and crossed. Pogatetz and Andrew Taylor ended up on their bottoms leaving Moore standing proud to tap home. Two minutes later, Lee Cattermole, the 17-year-old local scrapper who at least showed heart in Boro's midfield, lost possession to Steve Davis. Moore was slipped through and, confidence oozing, lifted the ball sweetly over Mark Schwarzer.

"My players shocked me again," said Villa's manager, David O'Leary. "They played the football like we practise in training and it was a privilege to be their manager."