Source: SKY_Sports
Digard set for recall
Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate is ready throw Didier Digard back into first-team action.
Relegation-threatened Boro travel to Emirates Stadium on Sunday in a match you can see live on Sky Sports 1.
The 22-year-old had been expected to miss the rest of the season after suffering knee and groin injuries in February.
But he returned to training last week and is now in contention to make a shock return to the first-team.
Digard played for Boro's reserves on Tuesday evening after, being on the bench for the weekend draw with Fulham and Southgate is now ready to bring him back into the first-team.
"It's great to see Didier back. He's worked very hard during the last two months to overcome his injuries," he said.
"We toyed with the idea of playing him for a half against Fulham, but it was probably just that little bit too early for him and we decided to leave it a bit longer.
"We thought he would benefit from last night's reserve game and now he's had the chance to get a little bit of his sharpness back before we go to Arsenal on Sunday."
Duo boost
Gary O'Neil will also be back after suspension and Southgate is looking forward to having both to call on.
"Digard and O'Neil have been our best two midfield players this season, so it's obvious we were going to miss them while they were away," he continued.
"Having them back gives us all kinds of options at Arsenal, because now we can switch things around in the middle, wide and up front if we want to.
"It gives us plenty to think about ahead of the game, but then this is the best situation to be in.
"We have to go there determined to try to get something from the game and so to have some of our best players available again is a major bonus."
Some bad news to come out of the reserve game on Tuesday was that Chris Riggott suffered an ankle injury.
Crosby denialMeanwhile, Boro assistant manager Malcolm Crosby has denied that he is set leave the club and insists he has only been absent from recent games because of an operation.
"It doesn't bother me because it's not true but these people have put it in the paper when they've noticed I wasn't at the game," explained Crosby, who has been Southgate's number two since May 2006.
"I'm here, I'll be at the Arsenal game and my future is with Boro. I was still playing reserve team football in my early 40's and I'm paying for it now so I've had the hip operation.''
