Middlesbrough (a) - predictions

[janu 0]

Team news:

Parker is out for the rest of the season with glandular fever, while Owen, Taylor, Babayaro and Luque are also currently sidelined.

 

Bramble came through a midweek practice match at the training ground unscathed, while Dyer is expected to train with the squad on Friday.

 

Defender Emanuel Pogatetz sustained head injuries against Basel that saw him ruled him out for the rest of the season, Gaizka Mendieta broke his foot in training on Monday. 

 

Lee Cattermole and Franck Queudrue both missed the Basel second leg game through injury, while forgotten man Malcolm Christie is still sidelined.

- nufc.com

 

NUFC: Given, Harper, Carr, Ramage, Moore, Bramble, Boumsong, Elliott, Solano, Bowyer, Emre, N’Zogbia, Dyer, Clark, Faye, Brittain, O’Brien, Shearer, Ameobi, Chopra.

 

MFC: Schwarzer, Jones, Parnaby, Taylor, Southgate, Riggott, Ehiogu, Davies, Bates, Boateng, Doriva, Downing, Parlour, Rochemback, Morrison, Yakubu, Hasselbaink, Viduka, Maccarone.

 

Ref: Alan Wiley

 

My prediction: Toon win 1-0 (Shearer pen)

 

Lawro’s prediction:

This is a difficult game for Middlesbrough. They are playing in the Uefa Cup beforehand and know that next week they have a massive game for a place in the semi-final of the FA Cup.

Newcastle are not particularly great defensively as we know but they had a great win over Tottenham last week.

Prediction: 1-2

[smoggeordie 0]

2-2

 

Downing and Eddie Murphy for them

Shola and a thumping Moore header for us