Source: Northern_Echo
Wheater and Boyd both missing for Middlesbrough
DAVID Wheater and Kris Boyd are notable absentees from the Middlesbrough line up for tonight's Championship home game with Burnley.[LNB] Wheater sustained a shoulder injury in last weekend's 3-0 defeat at QPR, while Boyd has been dropped to the bench after failing to impress at Loftus Road.[LNB] In Wheater's absence, Matthew Bates is expected to start at centre-half, with Justin Hoyte returning at right-back and Julio Arca slotting in on the other flank.[LNB] Mickael Tavares continues in midfield after making his Boro debut on Saturday, while Leroy Lita partners Scott McDonald in attack.[LNB] Tonight's game is a crucial encounter for under-fire Boro boss Gordon Strachan, and is likely to occur in front of the lowest crowd ever to watch a league game at the Riverside.[LNB] MIDDLESBROUGH (4-4-2): Steele; Hoyte, Bates, McManus, Arca; Halliday, Tavares, O'Neil, Robson; Lita, McDonald.[LNB] Subs: Coyne (gk), Hines, McMahon, Smallwood, Kink, Bailey, Boyd.[LNB] BURNLEY (4-3-3): Jensen; Mears, Carlisle, Bikey, Fox; Elliott, Alexander, Cork; Eagles, Iwelumo, Wallace.[LNB] Subs: Grant (gk), Marney, Edgar, Cort, Rodriguez, Thompson, Paterson.[LNB]
