Woodgate faces exploratory op

Middlesbrough defender Jonathan Woodgate will undergo an exploratory operation on his left knee on Monday which will rule him out of England’s Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia next month.

The 27-year-old, who has been hampered by a problem in his left knee for several months, is available for Sunday’s final Barclays Premiership fixture against Fulham, but will then have surgery to assess the extent of any damage.