Strugglers Middlesbrough and Swansea play out goalless draw

Swansea were left to rue a host of missed chances as they were held to a frustrating goalless draw by fellow strugglers Middlesbrough at the Liberty Stadium.

Hovering just above the relegation zone, Paul Clements side were bidding to claim their fourth consecutive home victory but failed to break down a stubborn Boro defence.

Gylfi Sigurdsson came closest for the hosts in the second-half but his goal-bound shot was expertly tipped away by the fingertips of Victor Valdes.

Swansea may have had a penalty in the closing stages when Adam Forshaw appeared to block Sigurdsson’s free-kick effort with his arm inside the area while Tom Carroll also had a decent opportunity.

Boro spent the majority of the match camped inside their own half but the Teessiders could have stolen all three points right at the death when Rudy Gestede missed a gilt edged chance.

In truth the point isn’t ideal for either side –17th placed Swansea are only a point above the drop zone while Boro remain five points adrift of safety.

Boring boring Boro: Middlesbrough parted ways with former manager Aitor Karanka in a bid to play a more expansive style of attacking football, but his successor Steve Agnew has shown little indication in his two games in charge that he is willing to take the shackles off, even against their direct rivals at the bottom of the table. Swansea were much more adventurous but lacked quality in the final third and sorely missed top goalscorer Fernando Llorente.

Ben Gibson (Middlesbrough) - Having been called up to the England international set-up for the first time mid-week, the Boro born defender was full of confidence and helped to steady his side's defence, even under relentless pressure at times.

Swansea: Fabianski 6, Olsson 7, Mawson 7, Fernandez 7, Naughton 7, Carroll 6, Fer 6, Cork 5, Sigurdsson 7, Ayew 6, Narsingh 7.

Middlesbrough: Valdes 7, Barragan 5, Bernardo 5, Gibson 7, Fabio 5, Clayton 6, De Roon 6, Traore 7, Ramirez 5, Downing 5, Negredo 7. Subs: Forshaw 5, Gestede 5.

7’ - CHANCE! Traore is caught sleeping and allows Olsson too much time and space on the channel, the full-back cuts into the penalty area but puts the ball over the bar from a tight angle. A good opportunity for Swansea.

11’ - SAVE! Valdes is forced into his first action of the afternoon as he does well to parry Ayew's powerful shot from the edge of the area. Swansea have a corner now.

13’ - BORO CHANCES! Negredo feels Boro should have a penalty as Mawson blocks his shot with an elbow. It would have been harsh as it wasn't deliberate. Moments later and Olsson does well to get in the way of Downing's shot from inside the area before Clayton blasts the rebound over.

33’ - INCHES WIDE! Carroll makes a sweet connection with a half-volley from 25 yards but it's sent agonisingly wide of the goal. Half of the home support thought it was in! Valdes was well beaten.

63’ - WONDERFUL SAVE! Finally a moment of quality as Sigurdsson curls a shot destined for the top corner but Valdes somehow pulls off a remarkable one-handed stop to deny Swansea an opener.

77’ - PENALTY APPEAL! Gibson handles the ball in the area to block Fer's cross but Bobby Madley signals only for a corner!

85’ - CLOSE! Sigurdsson's free-kick is takes a slight deflection off the arm of Forshaw and it goes just wide. Bobby Madley again dismisses the appeals. Barragan then clears the header off the line from the resulting corner!

90’ - CLOSE! Gestede should score. A delicious cross from Negredo finds his strike partner at the back post but somehow the former Villa man heads wide!

Rudy Gestede has now gone 39 Premier League games without a win (last won v Bournemouth, August 2015); the longest winless run in the competition.

Six different Middlesbrough games have ended 0-0 this season in the Premier League; the most in the division.