A last-gasp equaliser from Marten de Roon has earned Middlesbrough a 1-1 draw with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
It appeared that Sergio Aguero's first-half opener was going to be enough for City but in the first minute of added-on time, De Roon got above Gael Clichy to head home at the back post to extend Boro's unbeaten run to three matches.
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Unlike in their Champions League meeting with Barcelona in midweek, City had to contend with their opponents sitting on the edge of their own penalty area and it took time for Pep Guardiola's side to have any joy in Boro's penalty area.
However, after an uneventful opening 20 minutes which saw Ilkay Gundogan volley wide with the only chance of the early stages, City began to find their feet and exploit the spaces that were beginning to open up.
Kevin De Bruyne fired wide from the left-hand side of the penalty area before Aguero saw a well-struck shot tipped away by Victor Valdes.
The Spanish stopper also came to the rescue to deny David Silva from close range while Aguero volleyed wide from 12 yards, but with two minutes of the first half remaining, the home side finally broke Boro's resolve.
De Bruyne popped up on the right flank before delivering an exquisite cross for Aguero to convert from six yards out and it was a strike which also saw him reach 150 goals in a Man City shirt.
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Moments after the restart, City old boy Alvaro Negredo almost scored one of the goals of the season after seeing Claudio Bravo off his line but despite his shot from just inside the City half heading towards the net, the goalkeeper was able to get back and tip the ball over the crossbar.
Three minutes later, some good work from Adama Traore resulted in Adam Forshaw being provided with an opportunity inside the penalty area but again, Bravo came to the rescue to keep his team in front.
Despite a bright opening to the second half, Boro soon began to sit back again and it only invited more pressure from City, who had Gundogan volley wide from the edge of the area.
Aguero also headed wide from six yards out after being found by De Bruyne and as the game entered the final 10 minutes, Boro remained in with a chance of claiming a surprise point.
They failed to create anything significant in the City penalty area, though, and they should have fallen 2-0 down when Nolito found Aguero but the Argentine fired wide from 12 yards out.
After four minutes of added-on time were indicated, City were made to pay when a cross from George Friend found De Roon at the back post and his header from eight yards found its way past Bravo.
It was a goal that Aitor Karanka will claim that his side deserve, but City should have put the result beyond doubt before the dramatic equaliser from the summer signing.
Darren Plant
