No Boateng for Boro

Middlesbrough midfielder George Boateng will miss the Barclays Premiership clash with Blackburn on Boxing day after being told he could be sidelined for up to eight weeks by an ankle ligament injury.

The Dutchman damaged his ankle during the 1-0 Carling Cup defeat by Mark Hughes’ men on Wednesday evening and will not play again until well into the new year.

However, Gaizka Mendieta is in contention to replace him after shaking off a calf problem, Szilard Nemeth returns to the squad following a hamstring strain and Mark Viduka has recovered from a cold.

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