Downing starts for Boro

Stewart Downing was rewarded for his midweek UEFA Cup heroics with a place in the Middlesbrough starting line-up for today’s clash with Portsmouth.

Downing, who came off the bench to grab the winner against Egaleo in Athens, replaced Szilard Nemeth in one of four changes made by Boro boss Steve McClaren.

Nigel Quashie kept the Pompey captaincy as Arjan de Zeeuw failed to recover from his knee ligament problem.

Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, McMahon, Riggott, Southgate, Zenden, Mendieta, Parlour, Boateng, Downing, Viduka, Hasselbaink.

Subs: Ehiogu, Nemeth, Nash, Cooper, Morrison.

Portsmouth: Hislop, Griffin, Primus, Stefanovic, Unsworth, LuaLua, Quashie, Faye, Berger, Kamara, Yakubu.

Subs: Berkovic, Taylor, Cisse, Fuller, Ashdown.

Referee: M Atkinson (W Yorkshire)