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Struggling Middlesbrough welcome Sunderland in their first Premiership game of the New Year hoping to get away from the danger zone with a facile win. Watch all the live Premier League action from the Riverside here on Live Sport Network.

 

 

Boro have collected just four points from their last 10 games are perilously close to the drop zone after making a decent start to their campaign. Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate is under immense pressure, but his main concern at the moment will be to keep Stewart Downing at the Riverside following massive interest from Tottenham.

Downing has handed in a transfer request, which has been rejected by the club, who have also rejected a 15 million pounds bid from the Spurs. The Christmas fixtures were miserable for Boro who lost by identical 1-0 margins to Everton and Manchester United.

 

 

For this game Julio Arca will be back after serving a one-match ban in his side's 2-1 win over Barrow in the FA Cup last week. However Justin Hoyte, Mido, Gary O'Neil, Mohamed Shawky and Adam Johnson are doubtful starters. Meanwhile Sunderland have recovered nicely from the shock departure of Roy Keane and have pulled themselves out of the drop zone under new boss Ricky Sbragia. The Black Cats have collected 7 points from their last four games and are currently placed 15th on the league table with 22 points from 20 games.

With Kenwyne Jones and Djibril Cisse combining well, Sunderland can look forward to some great games ahead. The Christmas period was a mixed one for the club as they held Blackburn to a 0-0 draw, but lost 3-0 to Everton on 28 December.

 

 

Anton Ferdinand, Michael Chopra and Andy Reid should be back for this game, but Craig Gordon and George McCartney remain long-term absentees. Last season this fixture ended in a 2-2 draw, while Sunderland won the reverse fixture 2-0 earlier this season.

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