MOHAMED HOMOS scored the only goal as Egypt claimed a memorable Confederations Cup victory over Italy in Johannesburg last night.

Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing faces months on the sidelines as his home-town club attempt to stage an unlikely escape from relegation.

GARETH SOUTHGATE was putting on a brave face in the wake of another harrowing afternoon at the Riverside, but the inner turmoil he was suffering spoke volumes for a plight that has now grown so extreme that even his own supporters have turned against him.

David Wheater will be back for Middlesbrough’s must-win meeting with Aston Villa tomorrow.

Newcastle United 3 Middlesbrough 1

Newcastle manager Alan Shearer restored Michael Owen to the starting line-up for tonight’s must-win derby clash with Middlesbrough.

Middlesbrough defender Andrew Taylor returns to the squad for Monday night’s derby showdown with Newcastle after recovering from injury.

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate will check on a series of minor knocks before naming his side to face Barclays Premier League leaders Manchester United tomorrow.

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate will welcome midfielder Gary O'Neil back from suspension for Sunday's Barclays Premier League trip to Arsenal.

MIDDLESBROUGH have reached the stage where only miracles can save them.

Middlesbrough goalkeeper Brad Jones will face Fulham tomorrow despite dislocating his finger last week.

A quick straw poll of footballing opinion would doubtless reveal split opinions of Marlon King: those that dislike him and those that dislike him even more.

Middlesbrough skipper Emanuel Pogatetz has been ruled out for three weeks with a knee injury and will miss tomorrow’s Premier League match at home to Hull.

Amr Zaki’s agent Nader Shawky claims Wigan boss Steve Bruce wants to keep the striker at the JJB Stadium despite last week branding him the most unprofessional player he has ever worked with.

A frenzied relegation battle is no place for a purist, which is one of the reasons why Middlesbrough’s band of travelling supporters left this ground with faces longer than the Tees on Saturday.

Stoke 1 Middlesbrough 0

DAVID JAMES has seen almost everything during his long and colourful career, but the England goalkeeper still considers himself a novice when it comes to relegation battles.

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate has few new injury problems ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final trip to Everton.

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate will be without midfielder Didier Digard for tomorrow night’s FA Cup fifth round replay with West Ham.

Middlesbrough midfielder Mohamed Shawky has admitted he is keen to leave the club as soon as possible.

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate has revealed he has the chance to field an unchanged side for what would be only the second time this season for tomorrow’s Premier League clash with Wigan at the Riverside.

Middlesbrough are without striker Marlon King and defender Chris Riggott for tomorrow’s trip to West Ham in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

THERE must be a sadomasochistic streak buried deep within Shay Given. Having finally extricated himself from the Newcastle United madhouse, booking into the loony bin that is Manchester City seems akin to a particularly extreme form of self-flagellation.

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate is boosted by the return of midfielders Didier Digard and Gary O’Neil for tomorrow’s Premier League trip to Manchester City.

GARETH SOUTHGATE insists he is ready to become the fall guy for Middlesbrough’s faltering season if it helps protect his young squad.

Luiz Felipe Scolari claims Premier League referees are not treating Chelsea fairly this season.

Striker Marlon King is poised to make his home Middlesbrough debut in tomorrow’s crucial Barclays Premier League basement battle with Blackburn.

Chelsea 2 Middlesbrough 0

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate is hoping for better news on the fitness front as he prepares to put a patched-up side together for tomorrow’s FA Cup fourth round trip to Wolves.

IF Gareth Southgate really does possess the most bomb-proof job in the Premier League, the Middlesbrough manager doesn’t know it.

Stewart Downing is expected to be included in the Middlesbrough squad to face derby rivals Sunderland in the Barclays Premier League after having his transfer request refused.

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate is expected to give a number of squad players a rare start in tomorrow’s FA Cup third round tie against Barrow at the Riverside Stadium.

JIMMY BULLARD is a man in demand.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger brought back his big guns after his side’s dismal midweek Champions League defeat in Porto for today’s crucial early kick-off against Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.

Middlesbrough midfielder Julio Arca will return to the squad for tomorrow night’s Premier League clash with Manchester City after finally shaking off an ankle injury.

PAUL INCE is looking forward to the return of a fully fit and firing Benni McCarthy after the South Africa striker finally showed flashes of his old form.

England skipper John Terry handed Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari a boost when he returned to action for this afternoon’s trip to Middlesbrough.

Wigan 0 Middlesbrough 1

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate could be without three key players for the Barclays Premier League trip to Wigan.

TONY MOWBRAY hailed the giant impact of Jonas Olsson as his side snatched their first away win of the season at the Riverside Stadium.

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate welcomes back Mido into his matchday squad for tomorrow’s home Barclays Premier League clash with West Brom.

Top scorer Mido is expected miss tomorrow night's Carling Cup third round tie at Manchester United after pulling out of Middlesbrough's 2-0 derby defeat at Sunderland with a groin strain.

Middlesbrough’s record signing Afonso Alves was left sitting on the bench as Gareth Southgate went in search of a derby victory at Sunderland.

Midfield trio Mohamed Shawky, Julio Arca and Marvin Emnes all return from injury to join the Middlesbrough squad for tomorrow’s Wear-Tees derby at Sunderland in the Barclays Premier League.

Middlesbrough will be without striker Tuncay and midfielder Mohamed Shawky for tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League trip to Portsmouth.

Middlesbrough 2 Stoke 1

Middlesbrough goalkeeper Brad Jones is back in training after dislocating a finger in the pre-match warm up at Liverpool last weekend.

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate will be without first-choice goalkeeper Brad Jones for the home Carling Cup clash with Yeovil tomorrow night.

Justin Hoyte could make his debut for Middlesbrough in tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League match against Liverpool at Anfield

Middlesbrough 2 Tottenham 1