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TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR v MIDDLESBROUGH - CARLING CUP THIRD ROUND - LEE TO STAND UP AGAINST SPURS
Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate has called on South Korea striker Lee Dong-Gook to make the most of his big chance at White Hart Lane.
Lee, who has yet to score a Premier League goal for Boro since joining the club in January, is expected to be the club's sole striker in Wednesday night's Carling Cup third-round tie against Tottenham.
The South Korea international has endured long spells as a substitute for Boro, often coming on for the last few minutes of games.
However he will be handed his chance tonight because of injuries to Mido, Tuncay Sanli and Jeremie Aliadiere.
Southgate said: "Lee realises that he has to perform now. He has been here for several months now and we are looking for him to take a step up.
"This is an opportunity for him to show what he can really do. There is more to come from him, I'm sure, and now's the time. We know there are some big performances in him."
Lee's only Boro goal came in the last round of the Carling Cup, when he netted in the 2-0 win against Northampton Town at the Riverside Stadium.
He played as a lone striker in the second half of Saturday's derby game against Sunderland because of the injuries and did well, although he can expect to find the going tough against Spurs' back four.
Southgate will look for the South Korean to receive support from all areas of the pitch, saying: "I want us to be positive and we will go there believing we can win it.
"White Hart Lane is always an excellent playing surface and it's an opportunity for us to play our football.
"We've played well in the last two games without getting the results we probably deserved so this is another opportunity, especially for those players who come into the side."
Midfield duo George Boateng and Lee Cattermole and central defender Chris Riggott are among the Boro players who started the Tees-Wear derby on the bench and will be hoping to make the starting line-up at Spurs.
Boateng, who was sent off on his last visit to White Hart Lane, is certainly expected to start as Boro look for a more solid performance than on their last visit to London, when they lost 3-0 at West Ham.
Southgate said: "George is a proud man and he would be disappointed not to start against Sunderland.
"But I needed to play with width and I wanted to give Gary O'Neil his chance. In any case I knew that Gary was cup-tied and that we would probably need George against Spurs.
"One thing we want to do is stop giving away the number of goals that we have lately. and George can make a big contribution."
Southgate is aware the tie against must be decided on the night, and it could come down to penalties.
He said: "We have spent some time practising penalties. If you don't then you are asking for trouble because that's what it could come down to.
"We had them in the FA Cup last year and we had them the last time we played at Spurs in the Carling Cup.
"We certainly won't be playing for penalties but we will be ready if it happens."
THE DONG-GOOK LEE SONG
By Bettingzone.co.uk
Used with permission.
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