McDonald misses out on Boro bow

SCOTT McDONALD has been left behind in the North-East as a precaution and will not make his Middlesbrough debut at Portman Road today. McDonald, a £3.5m deadline day signing from Celtic, had hernia surgery last month and has still not full recovered. His absence means that Lee Miller, a £500,000 buy from Aberdeen, makes his debut alongside Chris Killen in attack. Other new-boys Stephen McManus and Kyle Naughton, who are on loan until the end of the season from Celtic and Sheffield United, are also handed immediate starts. There is also a surprise return to the starting line-up for Andrew Taylor and he is likely to start left-midfield, with Justin Hoyte asked to play on the opposite flank. Ipswich boss Roy Keane has named Daryl Murphy and David Healy in his team following their loan moves from Sunderland. IPSWICH TOWN (4-4-2): Lee-Barrett; Rosenior, McAuley, Delaney, Wright; Walters, Leadbitter, Colback, Norris; Murphy, Healy. Subs: B Murphy, Garvan, Counago, Peters, Stead, Balkestein, Edwards. MIDDLESBROUGH (4-4-2): Coyne; Naughton, Wheater, McManus, Grounds; Hoyte, Flood, O'Neil, Taylor; Miller, Killen. Subs: Steele, Lita, Walker, Bennett, Franks, McMahon, Williams.

Source: Northern_Echo