Source: SKY_Sports
Boro sweat over Alves
Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate is hoping record signing Afonso Alves will be fit for this weekend's clash with Portsmouth.[LNB] Alves missed Boro's FA Cup quarter-final defeat at Everton and Southgate revealed it was down to a stomach bag.[LNB]Southgate has confirmed Alves was quarantined away from the rest of the squad in the hope he will have recovered without spreading the bug to his team-mates.[LNB]"Alves went down with the illness on Friday night and we didn't feel he would be well enough to play at Everton," said Southgate. [LNB]"We also wanted to keep him away from the rest of the squad.[LNB]"He's had the weekend to try to shake it off and we'll have a look at him, but he should be okay to return to the squad against Portsmouth at the weekend."[LNB]DoubtsSouthgate is also sweating over the fitness of Matthew Bates and Justin Hoyte ahead of this weekend's crucial clash with Portsmouth.[LNB]Both players were forced off during the loss at Everton.[LNB]"Bates suffered from the impact of a tackle and we thought it was best to bring him off," he continued.[LNB]"We are assessing him and Hoyte, but hopefully it's nothing too serious.[LNB]"We need to keep all our players fit for the games which lie ahead of us."[LNB]
