M'boro 2 Liverpool 0

RAFA BENITEZ admitted the title was out of Liverpool's hands after Middlesbrough ended their 14-game winless run.

Xabi Alonso's own goal and Tuncay's fine clincher wrecked Liverpool's 15-match unbeaten stretch in the Premier League - and took Boro out of the bottom three.

Kop boss Benitez said: "Before the game, it was very difficult - after the game, it is more difficult.

"It depends on United. It will be more difficult, clearly."

Boro, without a league goal for 526 minutes of football, saw Alonso stick out a leg to put in-form Stewart Downing's 32nd minute cross past his keeper Pepe Reina.

Then on 63 minutes, as Liverpool struggled to exploit their large share of possession, Tuncay angled home the first Premier League goal by a Boro player since January 10 following Jeremie Aliadiere's precision cross.

Frustrated Benitez, whose side fell seven points behind leaders Manchester United, said: "In the first 30 minutes, we had five chances and you have to take your chances.

"After the own goal, we still had chances."

Benitez's new contract remains unsigned and chief executive Rick Parry is quitting Anfield in the summer.

But the Spaniard denies Liverpool are being unsettled by these off-field issues.

And he said: "My advisers are in contact with the advisers of the owners, so maybe they will have a conversation and we will see if we can progress."

In contrast, Boro chief Gareth Southgate claimed his side deserved their shock triumph.

Southgate said: "I am pleased for the players because they have had to endure a long period of frustration.

"But their work ethic and their togetherness over the last seven or eight weeks in particular, as we have been building towards this, has been excellent and we have got to continue that now.

"Today is a huge lift because there will be teams sitting at home watching the scores coming in and they won't have expected us to get anything today.

"It will have dragged a lot of teams back into the fight at the bottom.

"We are still in the cup, we are fighting in the league and we have shown that as a group this week, the fight is very much in them, and the quality is there as well, which is pleasing to see."

Certainly , though, for the opening half-hour, Liverpool looked the far more likely winners

Boro keeper Brad Jones had already kept out close-range efforts from Nabil El Zhar and Dirk Kuyt by the time Gary O'Neil forced Reina into a fine reaction save in the 11th minute.

But, even even the craft of Alonso and returning skipper Steven Gerrard, on his 300th start for the club, failed to break down the Teessiders consistently.

Instead, Boro stole a surprise and fortuitous opener, unlucky Alonso diverting the ball in.

That goal clearly settled Boro, who almost doubled their lead four minutes before the break when Downing robbed full-back Martin Skrtel and forced Reina to block well.

Liverpool, though, really ought to have levelled within three minutes of the restart.

Gerrard ghosted into the box and pulled the ball back invitingly for El Zhar, who hammered his shot high.

O'Neil was just as wasteful three minutes later following Jeremie Aliadiere's pass.

Mostly Liverpool continued to push forward, albeit struggling to create clear openings against a stubborn defence.

And Benitez's side finally paid a heavy price.

O'Neil slid the ball into the path of Aliadiere down the right for a square pass angled into the corner of the net by Tuncay.

Jones foiled Gerrard and Kuyt failed to connect with his skipper's cross with the goal at his mercy as the game slipped further from Liverpool's grasp.

And Boro might even have notched a third 18 minutes from time.

Downing and Tuncay combined to open up the Reds once again, leaving Marlon King with a glorious opportunity that Reina defied with a two-handed save.

But ultimately it was Liverpool who had most to rue.

Middlesbrough: Jones, Hoyte, Wheater, Huth, Pogatetz, O'Neil, Bates, Arca (Walker 88), Downing, Sanli (Adam Johnson 79), Aliadiere (King 68). Subs Not Used: Turnbull, Taylor, Emnes, Alves.

Booked: Sanli, Bates.

Goals: Alonso 32 og, Sanli 63.

Liverpool: Reina, Carragher (Benayoun 71), Hyypia, Skrtel, Aurelio, Alonso, Mascherano, Kuyt, Gerrard (Lucas 76), Babel, El Zhar (Ngog 68). Subs Not Used: Cavalieri, Dossena, Riera, Darby.