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MIDDLESBROUGH v SHEFFIELD UNITED - BORO WILL BEAT DROP: SOUTHGATE
Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate has backed his players to haul themselves away from the Barclays Premiership drop zone heading into the crucial home clash with Sheffield United on New Year's Day.
Defeat at Blackburn on Saturday left Boro hovering just three points above the bottom three but Southgate insists he will not be tempted into any panic buying in the transfer window.
Boro have already been linked with a bid for West Bromwich Albion playmaker Zoltan Gera but Southgate said: "We have not made any written offers for anybody yet.
"If things happen all well and good, and if not we will continue with the squad we have got. It is hard enough doing business in the three months of summer, so doing it in a month is not going to be easy."
There remains more likelihood of departures from the Riverside Stadium, with Massimo Maccarone and Gaizka Mendieta likely to be allowed to leave if the right offers come in.
Mendieta was back on the sidelines having been replaced by the returning James Morrison for the trip to sodden Ewood Park, and the Spaniard's Riverside Stadium days appear to be numbered.
But Southgate is determined to keep hold of striker Mark Viduka, who has once again been the subject of transfer speculation, but Southgate said: "He is our player and I want it to stay that way."
Southgate's immediate concern lies around raising his side to face the buoyant Blades after admitting they threw away any chance of claiming at least a point against Rovers.
Aiyegbeni Yakubu's penalty cancelled out Shabani Nonda's early strike and briefly suggested Boro might be best-placed to go on and claim victory before Benni McCarthy's headed winner.
Southgate said: "We have to pick ourselves up quickly. We have got to use the disappointment and anger in the dressing room and take it into Monday.
"If we manage to take seven points from the Christmas period then that will have been just about acceptable. We must not say things we regret now when we have the chance to put things right."
Southgate will run the rule of his players after the gruelling encounter but hopes to have avoided any new injury concerns, while Julio Arca should return after a knee injury.
Southgate added: "The pitch was very heavy but I imagine most grounds will be like that at the moment. We have got home advantage on Monday and we have got to make that advantage count."
By Bettingzone.co.uk
Used with permission.
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