Injury doubts over Southgate and Queudrue

Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren’s plans for tomorrow’s Barclays Premiership opener against Newcastle at the Riverside have been hampered by injuries to Gareth Southgate and Franck Queudrue.

Centre-back Southgate sustained a knee injury in training today, while fellow defender Queudrue injured his groin earlier this week, added to which winger Gaizka Mendieta has a back problem.

McClaren, though, is poised to hand debuts to new summer signings Jimmy Hasselbaink, Ray Parlour and Michael Reiziger, who has recovered from a shoulder injury sustained in pre-season.

Another of McClaren’s new boys in Mark Viduka, however, is sidelined as the Australia international serves a two-match suspension to start the season.

Team (from): Schwarzer, Boateng, Doriva, Downing, Ehiogu, Hasselbaink, Job, Juninho, Maccarone, Mendieta, Wilson, Nemeth, Parlour, Queudrue, Parnaby, Reiziger, Riggott, Southgate, Zenden, Nash.