Boro have doubts over duo

Middlesbrough’s Australian World Cup heroes are major doubts for the Barclays Premiership clash with Fulham at the Riverside Stadium on Sunday.

Keeper Mark Schwarzer, who made two saves in the penalty shoot-out against Uruguay which earned his country a place in next summer’s World Cup Finals, picked up a slight shoulder problem, while striker Mark Viduka stayed behind in Australia to consult a specialist over a recurrence of an Achilles problem.

Skipper Gareth Southgate is back after four weeks out with a groin injury, while Ugo Ehiogu could make his first appearance at the Riverside since September after shaking off a similar problem.

Provisional squad: Schwarzer, Jones, Knight, Parnaby, Queudrue, Southgate, Ehiogu, Riggott, Bates, Pogatetz, Boateng, Mendieta, Rochemback, Morrison, Nemeth, Doriva, Johnson, Yakubu, Hasselbaink, Viduka, Maccarone.