Boro v Everton preview

O'Neil: Set to return

PREDICTIONS:
Skysports.com prediction: Middlesbrough 1 Everton 2
Sky Bet odds: Boro 7/5 Draw 9/4 Everton 15/8
One to Watch: Tim Cahill
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• Everton
• Middlesbrough

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Middlesbrough are out to end a run of six games without a win against an Everton side boasting one of the best away records in the Premier League.

Gareth Southgate will be hoping he does not spend the second half of the season looking over his shoulder, with Boro currently just two points outside the bottom three.

The Teesside club put in a disappointing shift in Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Fulham and Southgate will be seeking a repeat of the performance shown in the 1-1 draw against Arsenal in the last home game.

Southgate is boosted by the availability of Gary O'Neil, with the midfielder having missed the last four games due to a hamstring injury.

He could reclaim his place in midfield, with Southgate pondering whether to include O'Neil, who scored at Goodison Park last month, on the right or centre.

Julio Arca, who was fortunate not to be sent off at Fulham, will be hoping to retain his place having been substituted at half-time at Craven Cottage.

Mido was a second-half substitute against Fulham after three weeks out with a hamstring strain and the Egyptian striker is pushing for a start.

David Wheater only made the bench at the weekend after suspension, while Justin Hoyte is out until the New Year with a knee injury and Didier Digard is sidelined with a groin problem.

Striker issues

Everton have received mixed news on the injury front ahead of the trip to the Riverside, although David Moyes will again be short of options in attack.

Leon Osman and Joseph Yobo both suffered injuries in Monday's 0-0 draw with Chelsea, with the former set to play and the latter likely to be out for two weeks.

Osman suffered a bruised ankle in the challenge which saw John Terry sent off, but the midfielder is expected to be fit, while scans are set to show Yobo's hamstring complaint will keep the defender out for a fortnight.

If Yobo misses out, Leighton Baines is likely to come into the team at left-back, with Joleon Lescott moving into the centre to partner Phil Jagielka.

Yakubu Aiyegbeni and James Vaughan are definitely out, while Moyes still has doubts over Louis Saha (hamstring) and Victor Anichebe (back).

Tim Cahill will continue in an emergency striking role, if Saha and Anichebe do not make it, while Segundo Castillo, Nuno Valente and Lars Jacobsen are out.

Possible starting XIs

Middlesbrough: Turnbull, McMahon, Riggott, Huth, Pogatetz, Johnson, O'Neil, Arca, Downing, Tuncay, Aliadiere.

Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Lescott, Baines, Osman, Neville, Arteta, Fellaini, Pienaar, Cahill.