Boro boss urges transfer caution

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate insists splashing the cash might not be the only answer as he seeks to move his side further away from the Barclays Premiership relegation zone.

Southgate takes his side to Everton tomorrow convinced he has got to strike the right balance between his host of young talent and any new buys in the January transfer window.

Home-grown stars Stewart Downing, Andrew Davies, James Morrison and Andrew Taylor all started in Saturday’s comfortable 2-0 victory over Charlton at the Riverside Stadium.

But Southgate admitted: “Different players are at different levels. Players like Andrew Taylor have come in this year and they have been incredibly accomplished.

“But one or two are not quite ready yet. The team is generally very young, there is no doubt about that, and you have got to ride with the problems that brings.

“We have to be careful we do not think short-term about anything. There might be a situation where we have to do something, but you have to be wary the people you bring in are right for your club.”

Southgate heads to Goodison Park boosted by a victory which moved his side out of the bottom three, having slid there for two hours after West Ham picked up a point in the early kick-off.

And he will be tempted to name an unchanged team although Abel Xavier is expected back from a hamstring injury and will be especially eager to line up against his former club.

Southgate will certainly keep faith in midfielder Julio Arca, who starred in the win over Charlton and is being tipped to go on to write his name in Boro folklore.

Southgate said: “Julio has been unfortunate with the injury at the start of the season but he has shown the class he has got and I think the crowd will really take to him.

“We have been playing him in the centre of midfield to give us some creativity and it is great he has got his goal. Sometimes you need someone to put his foot on the ball and show some composure.”