By Graeme Bailey Last updated: 4th November 2008
Turnbull: No talks
Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate insists he is not worried that the club are yet to open contract talks with in-form goalkeeper Ross Turnbull.
Turnbull and Brad Jones, both graduates of the club's much famed youth academy, have battled it out since Mark Schwarzer left in the summer for the right to become number one.
And it is Turnbull who took advantage of an early season injury to Jones to grasp the opportunity and he has not looked back.
Turnbull has produced some wonderful performances in recent weeks, but it is also now apparent that both he and Jones are out-of-contract at the end of the season.
Despite his great form, Southgate admits that discussions are yet to begin with Turnbull - who is free to talk to rival clubs in less than two months.
When asked if talks are progressing, Southgate stated: "No, not at the moment but, as I've said before, everyone at the start of the season was asking 'why are you going with them?' and now they are asking 'why are you not signing them to new contracts?', so you can't win.
"From Ross's point of view he's negotiating on the field and we had that with David Wheater last year.
"I want to keep them hungry. We haven't lost a player through a contract situation that we've been desperate to keep at this football club.
"When the time's right we'll sit down but I want him focused on playing and playing well and sometimes other things can be a distraction so it's picking the right time to have those discussions.
"But, without question, we want the pair of them to stay and they've both got the long-term chance of becoming the number one, but that might go on for years because they are both young enough to have that competition for places.
"I can sleep easily at night in the knowledge we've got two excellent keepers."
Southgate has been left delighted with the form of the former England Under-21 international.
"The three games he had last week were outstanding," he said.
"He's really performed incredibly well. I'm delighted for him and it gives the team confidence that you've got a goalkeeper making saves so that if you don't defend well he's there pulling off match-winning saves or point-winning saves."

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Chelsea 1-0 Man Utd - Ferguson
Chelsea 1-0 Man Utd - Ancelotti
West Ham 1-2 Everton - Zola
West Ham 1-2 Everton - Moyes
Wigan 1-1 Fulham - Martinez
Wigan 1-1 Fulham - Hodgson
Hull 2-1 Stoke - Horton
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Sunday 8th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Hull vs Stoke |
| 15:00 | West Ham vs Everton |
| 15:00 | Wigan vs Fulham |
| 16:00 | Chelsea vs Man Utd |
| Monday 9th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Liverpool vs Birmingham |
| Saturday 21st November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:45 | Liverpool vs Man City |
| 15:00 | Birmingham vs Fulham |
| 15:00 | Burnley vs Aston Villa |
| 15:00 | Chelsea vs Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 | Hull vs West Ham |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs Arsenal |
| 17:30 | Man Utd vs Everton |
| Sunday 22nd November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Bolton vs Blackburn |
| 15:00 | Tottenham vs Wigan |
| 16:00 | Stoke vs Portsmouth |
| Wednesday 25th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Hull vs Everton |
| 20:00 | Fulham vs Blackburn |
| Saturday 28th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Stoke |
| 15:00 | Fulham vs Bolton |
| 15:00 | Man City vs Hull |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Saturday 7th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Wolverhampton 1 - 4 Arsenal | |
| Man City 3 - 3 Burnley | |
| Tottenham 2 - 0 Sunderland | |
| Blackburn 3 - 1 Portsmouth | |
| Aston Villa 5 - 1 Bolton | |
| Wednesday 4th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| West Ham 2 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Sunday 1st November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Birmingham 0 - 0 Man City | |
| Saturday 31st October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man Utd 2 - 0 Blackburn | |
| Sunderland 2 - 2 West Ham | |
| Portsmouth 4 - 0 Wigan | |
| Bolton 0 - 4 Chelsea | |
| Stoke 2 - 2 Wolverhampton | |
| Fulham 3 - 1 Liverpool | |
| Burnley 2 - 0 Hull | |
| Everton 1 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Arsenal 3 - 0 Tottenham | |
| Sunday 25th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| West Ham 2 - 2 Arsenal | |
| Man City 2 - 2 Fulham | |
| Liverpool 2 - 0 Man Utd | |
| Bolton 3 - 2 Everton | |
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