The incident that went a long way to settling matters came as Tuncay got in behind the visitors’ defence, the Turkish forward was clipped by Dunne and the City skipper was shown a straight red card. Stewart Downing converted from the spot.

Eight minutes before the interval, Fabio Rochemback’s square pass gave Afonso Alves the easiest of tap-ins. And just before the hour George Boateng’s cross from the right was flicked away only as far as Downing, who found the corner.

Two minutes later they had another through Alves and then Adam Johnson’s 25-yard effort deflected off Michael Ball and past Andreas Isaksson.

Rochemback, out of contract and set for talks with Sporting Lisbon, made it six with a free-kick and with five minutes left, substitute Jeremie Aliadiere fired into the far corner. Elano did hit the top corner from 25 yards, but in the final minute Aliadiere squared to Alves to make it eight.

Southgate said: “I had a quick chat with Sven and told him he can walk away with his head held high, and it’s perhaps a situation he’s better off out of. It’s a bizarre one.”

MIDDLESBROUGH (4-4-2): Schwarzer 6; Young 6 (McMahon 75, 6), Riggott 7, Wheater 7, Pogatetz 6; Boateng 8, Rochemback 8, Arca 7 (Johnson 62, 7), Downing 9; Sanli 8 (Aliadiere 63, 7), Alves 9. Booked: Pogatetz, Young. Goals: Downing 16 pen, 58, Alves 37, 60, 90, Johnson 70, Rochemback 80, Aliadiere 85.

MANCHESTER CITY (4-5-1): Isaksson 6; Jihai 4, Dunne 5, Ball 5, Garrido 5; Vassell 5 (Hamann 62, 6), Fernandes 7, Corluka 7, Ireland 4, Petrov 5 (Elano 71, 7); Benjani 6 (Castillo 13, 4). Booked: Jihai. Sent off: Dunne. Goal: Elano 87.

Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire).