Michael Carrick was impressed with Middlesbrough's showing against another top opponent in the Championship after they played out an enthralling 3-3 draw with Norwich City.
Borja Sainz had given the Canaries a ninth minute lead before Tommy Conway's brace and Finn Azaz's close range effort had Boro in the ascendency at the interval.
Conway then saw his penalty saved by George Long after Jose Cordoba fouled Riley McGree, with that moment proving pivotal in the outcome of the contest.
Sainz doubled his tally two minutes after Boro's spot-kick with a stunning effort that kissed the underside of the crossbar, before an own-goal by Seny Dieng drew Norwich level.
The Canaries finished the game with a man less after captain Kenny McLean was shown a straight red card late on, but Middlesbrough were unable to find a winner.
Despite letting a two-goal lead slip at Carrow Road, Carrick was pleased with his players' efforts in a game he felt his side edged.
"I thought we were fantastic for the most part, we showed what a good team we are and played some really good football," Carrick told BBC Radio Teesside.
"We conceded three goals, the third wasn't nice at all but the other two, he put them in the top corner from distance and if they’re going to score like that from there, there's only so much you can do [to stop it].
"I thought we were pretty much the better team throughout, [although] the momentum swung a little bit towards the end.
"That’s two games against really good, top opposition in this league and we’ve been the better team in both games.
"Today was a test in terms of going a goal down but the confidence we showed and togetherness to get through that was top-class."
For Norwich, meanwhile, the draw ensured they maintained their 11-month unbeaten home record.
A win would have put them fifth in the table, but they remain eighth on the same number of points as ninth-placed Boro, both of them still one point adrift of the top six.
But it was a contest they were perhaps fortunate to claim a point from. The Canaries ended the contest with an expected goals (xG) total of just 1.1 compared to the visitors' 3.86.
"When a game is that hectic, with so many situations in it, then it's hard work for me from minute one to minute 90," Johannes Hoff Thorup told BBC Radio Norfolk
"We had to be very specific at half-time about what was important for us [to do], very specific with in-game communication to the players because there were so many details to put focus on.
"The moments we have when we are calm on the ball, especially in their half, the spaces we highlighted before the game opened up and we created chances, or at least got into some dangerous positions."
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
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