(REUTERS) - Alvaro Negredo scored a first-half double to set Middlesbrough on the way to a vital 3-0 Premier League win over Swansea City on Saturday (Dec 17) and pile more pressure on Bob Bradley's struggling team.

Negredo, on loan from Valencia, took his season's tally to five at the Riverside and Marten de Roon sealed victory with a terrific goal from an excellent move just before the hour as Boro finally shed their goal-shy reputation.

The game had been billed as a duel between the two Spanish international strikers Negredo and Swansea's Fernando Llorente but the Boro man won hands down, scoring on 18 minutes with a lovely first-time finish from Adam Clayton's low cross.

He claimed his second from the spot after Adam Forshaw was tripped in the box by Jordi Amat, sending Swansea to second-bottom of the table after conceding 18 goals in their last six away games.