RANGERS suffered their first SPL defeat of the season, as Colin Calderwood celebrated his first win as manager of Hibernian.

MIDDLESBROUGH’s bid to make an instant return to the Premier League got off to an inauspicious start as they were held to a goalless draw by Sheffield United in the opening game of the new season.

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

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

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

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.

Defender David Wheater is set to return to the Middlesbrough starting line-up for Monday’s daunting trip to Old Trafford after sitting through his side’s defeat to Everton on the bench.

Middlesbrough midfielder Gary O’Neil has a chance of being involved against Everton on St Stephen's Day after returning from injury.

Middlesbrough midfielder Didier Digard is a major doubt for tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League trip to Fulham.

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate is facing up to a defensive crisis as he prepares for Arsenal’s visit to the Riverside Stadium tomorrow.

German defender Robert Huth returns to the Middlesbrough squad for tomorrow’s trip to Hull in the Barclays Premier League.

IT is always best to expect the unexpected at Newcastle United, so perhaps the notion of the club being hauled onto an even keel by Joe Kinnear — frozen out of football for four years, with question marks over his health and whose methods appeared to belong in football’s stone age — is not so surprising.

Striker Mido is back in contention for Middlesbrough’s Premier League derby against Newcastle at the Riverside Stadium tomorrow.

IT is proof positive of the Premier League’s febrile environment that, a month after Gary Megson was wondering whether he would still have a job in the new year, he is now making bold demands for funds for a January spending spree.

Emanuel Pogatetz and Mido have both been passed fit for Middlesbrough’s Barclays Premier League clash with Bolton at the Riverside tomorrow.

Manager Gareth Southgate is ready to name an unchanged Middlesbrough side for Sunday’s Barclays Premier League trip to Everton.

GARETH SOUTHGATE has endured some troubled days since plunging into the world of management at the tender age of 36, but this is the kind of result which makes the hurt worthwhile.

Gareth Southgate is expected to stick with an unchanged starting XI for the third successive match as his Middlesbrough side prepare to host West Ham at the Riverside tomorrow.

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.

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

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

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

Midfielder Gary O’Neil has recovered from a calf strain and is expected to start for Middlesbrough in their Premier League opener against Tottenham at the Riverside Stadium tomorrow.

Middlesbrough defender Chris Riggott could keep his place for Sunday’s Barclays Premier League clash with Manchester City.

Middlesbrough goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer could return for tomorrow’s vital Barclays Premier League clash with Portsmouth.

Middlesbrough goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer could return to the side for tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League trip to Sunderland after recovering from a back problem.

Middlesbrough midfielder Gary O’Neil is out of tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League clash with Bolton after undergoing surgery to repair a knee ligament problem.

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate is expected to name the same team that started the 2-2 draw with Manchester United against Tottenham at White Hart Lane tomorrow.

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate will welcome Brazilian midfielder Fabio Rochemback back from suspension for Sunday’s Riverside Stadium clash with Manchester United.

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate must give late fitness tests to Robert Huth and Luke Young ahead of his side’s Barclays Premier League trip to Chelsea on Sunday.

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate will be without striker Mido and midfielder Fabio Rochemback through suspension for tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League clash with Derby.

Strikers Afonso Alves and Jeremie Aliadiere return to the Middlesbrough squad for tomorrow’s trip to Arsenal.

Middlesbrough have no fresh injury concerns ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final against Cardiff.

IVAR INGIMARSSON believes Reading have reached “the turning point” in their battle to avoid relegation after James Harper sealed a precious late win.

Middlesbrough defender David Wheater will celebrate signing his new three-and-a-half-year contract by returning from suspension for tomorrow’s Riverside Stadium clash with Reading.

Middlesbrough striker Jeremie Aliadiere will miss his side’s FA Cup fifth-round replay against Sheffield United tomorrow night after failing in his appeal against the red card he received at Liverpool.

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate will make late checks on Robert Huth and Tuncay Sanli before naming his side for tomorrow’s Premier League trip to Liverpool.

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate will make late checks on Robert Huth and Tuncay Sanli before naming his side for tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League trip to Liverpool.

Record signing Afonso Alves could make the Middlesbrough squad for the first time for tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League clash with Fulham.

Gareth Southgate will be able to give club record signing Afonso Alves his debut in Middlesbrough’s match at Newcastle on Sunday if the Brazilian is given international clearance from the Dutch football federation.