EVERTON v MIDDLESBROUGH TEAM NEWS AND COMMENT

By Come On Boro.dom
November 5 2005

Fabio Rochemback is 50/50 to return after missing Thursday night's UEFA Cup tie but he has a groin problem and it is not known yet whether he will be ready for tomorrow's encounter at Goodison Park.

Gareth Southgate is still out along with Ray Parlour, Ugo Ehiogu and Abel Xavier.

George Boateng and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink could be restored to the starting line-up.

Steve McClaren is likely to stick with the successful 5-3-2 formation that has brought Boro three straight wins.

For Everton, both Nuno Valente and Matteo Ferrari have leg injuries while Lee Carsley, Gary Naysmith and Alessandro Pistone are out with longer term problems.

Everton Squad: Martyn, Hibbert, Yobo, Weir, Neville, Arteta, Cahill, Davies, Van der Meyde, Beattie, Ferguson, Kilbane, Osman, Wright, McFadden, Kroldrup, Bent, Li Tie

Middlesbrough Squad: Schwarzer, Jones, Parnaby, Pogatetz, Riggott, Bates, Wheater, Queudrue, Boateng, Mendieta, Rochemback, Morrison, Doriva, Johnson, Kennedy, Yakubu, Hasselbaink, Viduka, Maccarone, Nemeth.

Everton manager David Moyes is getting more optimistic as his side pick up form. He commented;

"For the opening ten games of the season we only had fourteen outfield players to pick from but in the last week or so we have started to get a few extra players to pick from."

Star midfielder Gaizka Mendieta was more upbeat;

"It's the last game before the break, so it's important to get a result against Everton and maybe climb a little bit higher in the league and then we can enjoy the break. They are going to play in a different way to the way they did in the Carling Cup. It will be a tough game because they need the points, the same as us."

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