Mowbray’s options are increased ahead of tough trip

MIDDLESBROUGH have the considerable incentive, weather permitting, of moving into the automatic promotion places – and becoming top dogs in Yorkshire in the process – if they triumph at fellow Championship high-fliers Leicester City tonight.
By The Newsroom
Published 18th Jan 2013, 08:25 BST

Boro, currently in fourth place, will leapfrog Nigel Pearson’s side and Hull City if they take three points at the King Power Stadium and get back on track after successive league losses to Watford and Derby County.

After being down on numbers in the past few weeks, Boro manager Tony Mowbray’s hand has been boosted by the return of several players for tonight’s televised fixture.

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Middlesbrough, who have recalled defender Stephen McManus from a three-month loan at Bristol City, should be boosted by the return of Marvin Emnes, Justin Hoyte and Andre Bikey, although the match is still expected to be too soon for Jonathan Woodgate.

Emnes has returned to training following a hamstring injury suffered against Blackpool at the end of December while Hoyte damaged his hip in the same match.

Bikey, also recovering from a hamstring strain, has been out since he limped off the pitch against Blackburn Rovers on Boxing Day.

Mowbray, believed to be one of several Championship managers monitoring Bristol City winger Albert Adomah, said: “We have had a tough two or three weeks with players being unavailable, but every team’s the same and we have to get on with it.

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“We have a few back and a few options and it is looking better on the selection front than a few weeks ago.”

The Foxes are very much one of Boro’s bogey sides, with the Teessiders having not beaten the East Midlanders in their last nine outings.

Leicester, City, seeking their fourth straight league win, have a few selection dilemmas after a wave of illness swept through the squad this week.

Pearson, who has only just recovered from illness himself, will assess winger Anthony Knockaert ahead of the game, along with a few other players.

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Pearson said: “Anthony trained so he should be okay. He had a knock in training prior to the Bristol game last week and took another knock on that area.

“He was also unwell on Saturday morning. He has suffered a bit with that since. Taking him off early was a wise decision and it has given him more time to recover, but we will see how he is.”

Last six games: Leicester City WWWWDL, Middlesbrough LWLWWL.

Last time: Leicester City 2 Middlesbrough 2; February 1, 2012; The Championship.

Referee: R East (Wiltshire).

Related topics:Tony MowbrayLeicester CityMiddlesbroughBristol CityYorkshire