Gareth Southgate will allow key strikers Mido and Tuncay Sanli the maximum amount of time to prove their fitness for Middlesbrough’s Premier League trip to Manchester City on Sunday.
The Boro physios are working overtime on Egyptian international Mido, who has a back-related hamstring strain, and Turkish team-mate Tuncay, who has severe bruising on a leg injury, though he is the closest of the pair to passing a fitness test.
Dong-Gook Lee and Tom Craddock are on standby to start.
Number two keeper Brad Jones is receiving treatment on his sore thigh, though efforts to recall Ross Turnbull from his season-long loan at Cardiff as cover have so far ended in failure.
Boro (from) Schwarzer, Young, Taylor, Wheater, Woodgate, Boateng, Rochemback, O’Neil, Downing, Tuncay, Mido, Lee, Craddock, Jones, Steele, Davies, Riggott, Hines, Owens, Cattermole.