Middlesbrough’s automatic promotion hopes were given a huge lift as they put on a show to thump Reading 5-0 in what was a miserable end to a difficult week for the troubled Royals.

Sky Bet Championship top-scorer Chuba Akpom and Aston Villa loanee Aaron Ramsey both scored twice at the Riverside, with Marcus Forss also on target as Boro won at home for the seventh game in a row and closed the gap to second-placed Sheffield United to four points.

They were always in control against the Royals, who endured a nightmare afternoon just days after discovering they are set to be deducted six points for historical breaches of profit and sustainability rules.

Boro had their momentum halted at West Brom last time out but quickly found their rhythm again.

They controlled the early stages and were rewarded with the breakthrough goal just after the halfway stage of the first half, the opener coming from the penalty spot when Andy Yiadom blocked a Ramsey through ball with his hand.

Akpom made no mistake from the spot, sending Dean Bouzanis the wrong way.

Reading wanted a penalty of their own when Shane Long went down under the challenge of Tommy Smith in the box, but the protests were waved away by Keith Stroud.

As Reading fumed about that decision, Boro broke at speed and wanted a penalty of their own for handball when Cameron Archer’s shot was blocked inside the box, but Stroud again ignored the shouts.

Boro thought they had doubled their lead in the 37th minute when Archer steered home a Ryan Giles cross, only for the striker to be flagged offside.

But Ramsey did get a deserved second for the home side in first-half stoppage time, pouncing on an Amadou Mbengue mistake and running half the length of the pitch before keeping his cool and slotting beyond Bouzanis.

Any slim hopes of a Reading comeback completely disappeared as Boro burst out of the blocks after the break and added two more goals within six minutes of the restart.

Akpom scored his second of the afternoon and 21st of the season when he steered home Giles’ cross three minutes into the second half. Three minutes later, Giles was at it again, this time teeing up Ramsey to slot home his second.

Boro won a second penalty when Forss was sent tumbling by Tom McIntyre in the 76th minute, with the substitute picking himself up to lash home the fifth from the spot.