Middlesbrough v Newcastle Premiership Preview: Mido Could Feature For Boro – Viduka Close To Comeback For Magpies

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Middlesbrough play, Joe Kinnear’s Newcastle United in the Premier League at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday.

Gareth Southgate’s Boro side have blown hot and cold in the Premiership this season and will go into this North East derby with Newcastle on the back of a 3-1 defeat to Bolton Wanderers at the Riverside last weekend. The main problem for Middlesbrough has been a lack of goals, with only 15 from their 14 Premier League matches. However, despite this Boro are 10th in the table and will hope to collect all three points in the Derby with Newcastle.

The Magpies only defeat in November came at the hands of Fulham at Craven Cottage, with Kinnear starting to pull the North East club in the right direction after a shaky first few weeks in charge at St James’ Park. Newcastle will be hoping to build on a 0-0 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last week, but have not won away this season and are third from bottom in the Premiership.

Boro will be without Rhys Williams (knee) and Mohamed Shawky (thigh) for the derby with Newcastle, but could have Chris Riggot, Robert Huth and Egyptian International Mido available, who are all racing to be fit for this North East Derby.

Kinnear is unable to call on Alan Smith (achilles), Ignacio Gonzalez (achilles), Ngo Baheng (knee) and Joey Barton (knee), but could have summer signing Xisco and defender Steven Taylor available if they recover from groin strains. While striker Mark Viduka could also be in contention after a long layoff with an achilles problem.

Middlesbrough: (from) Turnbull, Hoyte, Taylor, O’Neil, Riggot, Pogatetz, Digard, Mido, Aliadiere, Emnes, Alves, Huth, Tuncay, Downing, Arca, Jones, Bates, Johnson, Wheater, Porritt, Owens, Hines, Grounds, Walker

Newcastle United: (from) Given, Coloccini, Enrique, Cacapa, Guthrie, Martins, Owen, Duff, Bassong, Harper, N’Zogbia, Gutierrez, Xisco, Geremi, Beye, Butt, Ameobi, Taylor, Kadar, Edgar, Forster, Tozer, LuaLua, Carroll

Villa v Boro Premiership Preview: Laursen, Barry & Reo-Coker Set For Villa Recalls – Huth In Contention For Middlesbrough

Aston Villa play, Gareth Southgate’s Middlesbrough in the Premier League at Villa Park on Sunday.

Villa boss Martin O’Neill will go into this clash with Boro full of confidence, despite losing 2-0 to Newcastle United at St James’ Park last Monday. The Villans are top of their UEFA Cup group and 5th in the Premiership, with the defeat against the Magpies the first since the International break. O’Neill will be confident of collecting all three points at against Middlesbrough, with the Midlands club unbeaten at Villa Park this season.

Southgate will be wondering which Boro team will turn up at Villa, the team that beat Manchester City 2-0 at the Riverside Stadium 10 days ago or the one that has lost to West Bromwich Albion and North East rivals Sunderland this season. Boro have lost 3 of their five away matches this season and are just off the pace in the Premier League in 8th place.

Villa, are unable to call on Stiliyan Petrov (hamstring), who will be out for 2 weeks and long-term absentee Wilfred Bouma (ankle). O’Neill is likely to recall captain Martin Laursen along with Gareth Barry, Nigel Reo-Coker and keeper Brad Friedel, who were all rested for the UEFA Cup win over Slavia Prague on Thursday.

Boro will be without Rhys Williams (knee) and Mohamed Shawky (thigh), but could welcome back defender Robert Huth for the trip to the Midlands if the former Chelsea player shakes off a foot injury in time.

Aston Villa: (from) Friedel, Guzan, L Young, Cuellar, Laursen, Davies, Shorey, Milner, Routledge, Barry, Reo-Coker, Sidwell, A Young, Carew, Agbonlahor, Harewood, Knight, Gardner, Salifou, Osbourne, Delfouneso

Middlesbrough: (from) Turnbull, Huth, Hoyte, Wheater, Taylor, O’Neil, Riggott, Pogatetz, Digard, Mido, Aliadiere, Emnes, Alves, Tuncay, Downing, Arca, Jones, Bates, A Johnson, J Johnson, McMahon, Stelle, Porritt, Owens, Hines, Grounds, Walker