Middlesbrough chief executive Keith Lamb has revealed Tottenham made a late bid for Croatian striker Alen Boksic just before the transfer window closed.

Middlesbrough are in discussions with Croatian striker Alen Boksic over his future – but maintain he has not quit the club.

Middlesbrough midfielder George Boateng could return to the starting line-up against former club Aston Villa tomorrow after recovering from a knee injury.

Middlesbrough 2 Southampton 2

Chelsea 1 Middlesbrough 0

Middlesbrough face a daunting trip to face Chelsea in the FA Cup determined that they can cure their travel sickness at Stamford Bridge.

ARSENAL extended their lead at the top beating West Brom, Manchester United lost again — this time to Middlesbrough — and teenage prodigy Wayne Rooney was sent off in a frenetic programme of English premier league matches yesterday.

Middlesbrough 3 Manchester United 1

Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren returned to haunt former club Manchester United for the third time as the Teessiders snatched a famous victory.

Ugo Ehiogu rescued Middlesbrough with a late header to keep the heat on West Ham’s under-pressure manager Glenn Roeder.

Chelsea 1 Middlesbrough 0

Newcastle defender Steve Caldwell was handed a first start in almost 20 months in tonight’s Tyne-Tees derby clash with Middlesbrough.

Middlesbrough striker Alen Boksic is close to a return from injury to increase manager Steve McClaren’s striking options.

Middlesbrough face a selection dilemma over their strike force against Charlton at the Valley on Sunday.

Steve McClaren will link up with England next week knowing everything is fine on the domestic front after today’s comfortable Barclaycard Premiership win over Bolton.

Liverpool striker Michael Owen answered his critics with a hat-trick as the Reds kept in touch with leaders Arsenal with a victory against Manchester City.

Middlesbrough 3 Sunderland 0

By James Whelan

DEFENDING champions France started their Euro 2004 qualifying campaign with a stuttering 2-1 win over Cyprus in Nicosia on Saturday.

Ruud van Nistelrooy provided Manchester United skipper Roy Keane with the perfect post-operation present by ramming home the match-winning penalty at Old Trafford tonight.

Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson sprang a major surprise at Old Trafford tonight by naming Fabien Barthez, Paul Scholes and Mikael Silvestre in his side to face Middlesbrough.

Middlesbrough 1 Blackburn 0

Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren has warned his side about the menace posed by Blackburn strike duo Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke ahead of tomorrow’s showdown at the Riverside Stadium.

Alen Boksic could join Real Madrid on a free transfer, according to reports.

Southampton 0 Middlesbrough 0

Middlesbrough fear Brazilian star Juninho could miss a large part of the season after suffering a cruciate ligament injury at the weekend.

MIDDLESBROUGH have been dealt a massive blow as World Cup winner Juninho misses the start of the new season with a cruciate ligament injury.

Middlesbrough have been dealt a massive blow by the news that World Cup winner Juninho will miss the start of the new season with a cruciate ligament injury.

Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren will lead a club delegation tomorrow to appeal against a decision to refuse Brazilian Juninho a work permit.

AC MILAN last night completed the signing of Italian midfielder Sam Dalla Bona from Chelsea.

Croatia only have themselves to blame for suffering World Cup heartbreak - handing the lucky Italians a place in the knockout stages on a plate.

Croatia only have themselves to blame for suffering World Cup heartbreak - handing the lucky Italians a place in the knockout stages on a plate.

Influential Italy captain Paolo Maldini remained on course to equal a World Cup record after overcoming an injury scare.

Influential Italy captain Paolo Maldini remained on course to equal a World Cup record after overcoming an injury scare.

Mexico left 10-man Croatia with it all to do to get out of Group G as Cuauhtemoc Blanco’s second-half penalty sealed a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the France 98 semi-finalists in their opening World Cup match in Niigata.

Mexico 1 Croatia 0

Mexico left 10-man Croatia with it all to do to get out of Group G as Cuauhtemoc Blanco’s second-half penalty sealed a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the France 98 semi-finalists in their opening World Cup match in Niigata.

Cuauhtemoc Blanco gave Mexico a dream start to their World Cup campaign this morning, scoring the game's winning goal from the penalty spot to deny Croatia.

Croatia coach Mirko Jozic has dropped defender Goran Sablic and forward Marko Babic from his World Cup squad.

Gianluca Festa scored an own-goal to give Arsenal a 1-0 half-time lead in their FA Cup semi-final clash with Middlesbrough.

Arsenal were on course to reclaim top spot in the Premiership after dominating the opening half of their north London derby against Tottenham.

Franck Queudrue produced a textbook free-kick equaliser to deny Tottenham victory at Middlesbrough.

Luizao scored the only goal of the game as Brazil gave their World Cup hopes a boost with a victory over Yugoslavia in Rio de Janeiro.