Middlesbrough v Palace

Riverside Stadium, Saturday 3.00pm

Team news

Midfielder Neil Danns could make a return to the Crystal Palace squad after a month sidelined with a knee injury.

Anthony Gardner is doubtful with a groin injury and Claude Davis serves the final match of his four-game ban. Sean Scannell and Lee Hills (both knee) are still out.

Middlesbrough players Julio Arca (knee), Barry Robson (thigh), Gary O'Neil (groin) and Danny Coyne (calf) are doubts. Rhys Williams (pelvis), Jonathan Franks (back) and Willo Flood (knee) are all missing.

Quotes

Roy Hodgson

"What we have to do now is put Saturday firmly behind us and go into these next three games in a positive frame of mind.

"I've spoken to the players this week about the importance of staying strong and to keep believing in our approach. We have some exciting, attacking players and we need to go at teams and stay on the front foot. I'm expecting a big response from the team.

"We go to Middlesbrough tomorrow for a match against another of the teams down at the bottom of the table.

"Unlike us Boro have spent millions on their squad and it just shows you what can happen in football.

"After that we have two home games in the space of four days and it's imperative we start to pick up points on our own patch. Losing our last three games at Selhurst Park simply isn't acceptable.

"The fans have been very supportive of myself and the team and they deserve far better.

"This is a tough situation we find ourselves in and it's a time for our more experienced players to step up and take some responsibility.

"That's why it's so important we are getting the likes of Darren Ambrose, Neil Danns and David Wright back into contention.

"When you're down at the bottom you need your big characters and to have the likes of these three back is huge.

"It is their contribution in the dressing room as much as anything else that we've missed. We've heaped far too much responsibility on the youngsters this season and they have exceeded expectations."

Tony Mowbray

"I’m still getting used to the players, and they to me, but what has pleased me greatly is that there is a good atmosphere on the training ground. The players have all responded to the things I have been looking for and now we have to take it on to the pitch tomorrow.

"Palace may be at the bottom of the table but they have a lot of good, quick, young players and it’s a game we have to be careful of. The one thing we have to do is continue to try to create chances like we did against Bristol City.

"When they come along we have to be professional in how we deal with them. We have to capitalise on our opportunities and get that first win which will give us something to build on."

Darren Ambrose

"We are better than what we are showing results wise and we are all 100 per cent behind the gaffer.

"There will be rumours going around saying the manager and the players have to go but we need to concentrate on the situation in hand and show a bit more fight and commitment to the cause.

"It's frustrating we are bottom of the league.

"We are there because we are not winning games, not because we are not playing well - apart from the Swansea game.

"We are not the worst team in this division - we are not the best but we are not the worst.

"It's now down to us experienced players and the manager and the staff.

"We need to go out and show a bit more commitment and desire and if we approach teams in that way we have the ability to play teams off the park.

"We have had a lot of bad luck and know we are going to get criticism from people as we are bottom of the league but I am confident we can turn it around.

"Come January we shouldn't be in a problem in that way and if we are still bottom of the league then, then we are doing something wrong."

Adam Barrett

"I think maybe one of the problems for us this season has been that we've been a bit of soft touch at times. We've got plenty of ability in the team but when you're down there at the bottom you've got to put in the hard work and do the ugly side of the game as well.

"If you look at all of the top sides they play quality football when they've got the ball, but when they haven't they work doubly hard to get it back.

"We need a bit more of that now. We need a bit of the old siege mentality, stick together and keep working hard on the training ground and on the pitch. If we do that, we have more than enough quality to start picking up the results."

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Middlesbrough - league stats

Position	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points
23rd	14	3	2	9	11

Full league table

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Middlesbrough - current form

Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against
6	0	1	5	5	11

Full form table

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Last five results

Date	Type	Home Team	Score	Away Team
03/04/2010	League	Middlesbrough	1 - 1	Crystal Palace
07/11/2009	League	Crystal Palace	1 - 0	Middlesbrough
30/11/2005	League Cup	Middlesbrough	2 - 1	Crystal Palace
02/04/2005	League	Crystal Palace	0 - 1	Middlesbrough
28/08/2004	League	Middlesbrough	2 - 1	Crystal Palace

All time results

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Last meeting

Middlesbrough 1-1 Palace

Saturday April 03 2010

Middlesbrough: Jones, Hoyte, Taylor (Naughton, 42), McManus, Wheater, Rhys Williams (O'Shea, 78), Robson, O'Neil, McDonald, Franks, Killen (Lita, 57)

Subs not used: Coyne, Miller, Arca, Grounds

Goals: McDonald 15

Palace: Speroni, McCarthy, Davis, Lawrence, Ertl, Ambrose, Carle (Scannell, 72), Derry, Danns, N'Diaye, Lee (Andrew, 77)

Subs not used: John, Comley, Mann, Zaha, Holland

Goals: N'Diaye 45

Bookings: Davis, Lee, Speroni

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