Bailey in fitness race for Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough midfielder Nicky Bailey is facing a race against time to be fit for Saturday's npower Championship trip to Barnsley.

The 26-year-old midfielder played through the pain barrier with a groin injury in Tuesday night's Carling Cup defeat at Millwall, and Strachan is hoping he does not join Kevin Thomson, Willo Flood, Gary O'Neil and Rhys Williams on the sidelines.

He told the Evening Gazette: "I thought that Nicky was excellent for us. In fact, he got stronger as the game went on.

"Really, we shouldn't have played him, but he wanted to play and we are short of numbers. Now we will see how things go in the next couple of days."