MIDDLESBROUGH might have lost two star players to the Premier League but if this performance is anything to go by, it won't be long before they join them.

Ben Gibson and Adama Traore are now strutting their stuff for Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively after moves of £15m and £18m this summer.

But four games into the Championship season, 'Boro are looking like they will remain among the pacesetters as they continued their unbeaten start with their biggest away win since January.

Bigger tests will follow with West Bromwich Albion, who thumped Queens Park Rangers 7-1 at the weekend, and Leeds United, looking formidable with their 100 per cent start, next up.

But Tony Pulis's side look ready for the battles ahead. On Saturday at Ashton Gate against a side admittedly heavily depleted defensively, they barely got out of second gear as they bullied and ultimately brushed aside a Bristol City outfit who were flimsy in comparison.

'Boro are 'Championship ready'; organised, physically strong and clinical in attack, they do the simple things well.

At 34, Stewart Downing is in the autumn of his career but he rolled back the years with a high quality display in which a dummy and cross for the second goal nonchalantly nodded home by Britt Assombalonga was a masterclass in wing play.

Assombalonga worked City's backline into a panic with his hustle and bustle, while just behind him, the more subtle but equally deadly Martin Braithwaite showed a rare awareness that was rewarded in the first goal as he pounced on an awful error by Jack Hunt.

Their goals had this victory sewn up by half-time, but if the first half showed 'Boro's prowess as an attacking force, then perhaps we saw why they look like remaining in the promotion hunt in the second as they showed their defensive meanness.

At 20, Dael Fry has yet to complete a half century of senior games but he looked like a seasoned veteran by being perfectly placed to repel attack after attack as City tried to find a way back into the game.

Alongside him, Aden Flint was every inch the giant and a formidable presence as he reminded the Robins, who were without four centre halves, what they are missing.

'Boro dropped deep after the interval, content to protect their two-goal cushion and hit the hosts on the break.

Yet they remained a threat on the counter attack and Braithwaite should have done better than to drill into the sidenetting when clean through, before Downing's swerving, dipping effort was tipped over.

True, City hit the same piece of woodwork twice in the last five minutes through Eros Pisano's glancing header then Josh Brownhill's free kick, but by then 'Boro had proved they were well worthy of their third successive League win.

'Boro manager Tony Pulis believes there is more to come going forwards from his team.

“As a manager you always want more but they look as if they're going to score goals, given the opportunities, and that's what you need,” he said.

“If you want to get anywhere in any league, you need goalscorers and that's something we're looking at.

“Jordan Hugill is only a week away. His record at Preston was very good and he gives us a different dimension to what we've got.

“We can't wait for him to come back fully fit and then we can push on.”

Pulis is pleased with his side's start to the season but is well aware of the challenges that lie ahead, not least from his former club West Brom.

“We have done OK. If you look at the three clubs that have come up, they will be strong,” he said.

“West Brom won 7-1 on Saturday and they haven't lost any of their players, so they have Premier League players there.

“They will be very good I think and the other two (Stoke City and Swansea City) haven't done a lot of business in terms of selling players, so they will be tough.

“Then you've got Villa and Derby who have spent a lot of money, Sheffield United; teams that will be there or thereabouts, so it's a very competitive league.”

Flint admitted Pulis's belief in him meant choosing to move the 264 miles to Teesside was a no brainer.

“He wanted me from the start and showed his desire to sign me,” he said.

“When someone like that says ‘I want you come and play centre-half for me’, that was certainly a big factor in my decision to come.

“The gaffer knows his stuff. He’s vastly experienced – he knows what he wants and he gets it.”

Based on this performance, Pulis looks like he's going to get what he wants too – promotion.