Middlesbrough 8-1 Man City: Sven's men down tools

If Thaksin Shinawatra is in any doubt about how the Manchester City players feel about the lingering death he has inflicted on Sven Goran Eriksson, then he should sit through the DVD of this game.

Because he would see a passionless, dispirited display from a group of players who have had the stuffing knocked out of them by their trigger-happy chairman.

And perhaps Shinawatra may finally realise the impact his crazy decision to knife Eriksson is having on the dressing room.

The players, led by Richard Dunne, have battled hard to save their manager and wanted to boycott this week's tour of Thailand and Hong Kong before the Swede talked them out of it.

Conspiracy theorists may suggest this abject surrender at the Riverside was their equivalent of downing tools and going on strike.

No player would ever admit to such an act, but it is hard to overstate how deeply unhappy they are at Eriksson's imminent sacking and how desperate they are for him to stay.

"You can never mess with that," said Eriksson when asked how badly the players have been affected. "For sure, it's never good to live with insecurity. It's never good for anyone."

Shinawatra and his cronies seem to be the only people who want rid of the former England boss and once again City's magnificent travelling support hung out their Save our Sven banners and chanted "Hey Thaksin, leave our Sven alone".

But not even qualifying for Europe through the Fair Play league and finishing ninth can save Eriksson.

To add to City's woes, their fans were involved in clashes with police and stewards near the end of what until then had been a good-tempered game.

Nothing could detract from Boro's joy at their best Premier League win and their biggest victory in 34 years.

Afonso Alves cashed in on City's woeful defending to bag a hat-trick and promise a fruitful campaign next season now he has adapted to the English top flight.

Stewart Downing and Fabio Rochemback, in what could be his last game for the club, were also outstanding and Boro fans must wonder why their team only secured their Premier League status last week with such talent in their ranks.

The game began badly for City and went rapidly downhill from there. Their game plan was disrupted when lone striker Benjani came off injured and went totally out the window when Dunne was controversially dismissed for clipping Tuncay's heel in the box in the match's turning point.

It appeared accidental, but referee Phil Dowd produced a red card and Downing slotted home the penalty to put Boro on their way in the 15th minute.

Like Eriksson, this could be the last City fans see of their hero and with the club reluctant to offer him a new deal, the skipper could be off in the summer.

What little confidence City had evaporated and on 37 minutes Rochemback laid the ball inside for Alves after some great work and the striker guided home his shot.

Andreas Isaksson manfully tried to deny the Teessiders and he kept out one point-blank effort from George Boateng before punching away a stinging free-kick from Rochemback.

The best City could offer was a poor Darius Vassell header, which went wide of the mark.

City were disintegrating before Eriksson's eyes and on 58 minutes Downing cracked home a superb volley with the outside of his left boot for his 10th of the season.

Two minutes later it was four when Tuncay sent Alves racing through and the club's record signing netted, even though Isaksson got a hand to his shot.

Boro continued to score faster than Kevin Pietersen and Adam Johnson's shot was deflected home off Michael Ball on 70 minutes. Rochemback then hit a 30-yard free-kick in the 80th minute which would have done Cristiano Ronaldo proud.

Jeremie Aliadiere squeezed home their seventh inside the far post on 85 minutes before City had the cheek to score through Elano, although it was hardly much of a consolation effort.

Middlesbrough fittingly had the last word when in the final minute, Aliadiere squared for Alves to sidefoot home and complete his hat-trick.