Southgate set for six-week lay-off

Middlesbrough FC captain Gareth Southgate could miss the remainder of the UEFA Cup group stage after picking up a groin injury in Sunday's 2-1 English Premiership defeat at West Ham United FC.

Recuperation required
The 35-year-old central defender had to be substituted after 24 minutes of the game and is now expected to be out of action for between four and six weeks to allow the injury to recover. Once the affected area has settled, the former England international will have a scan to determine the exact length of his absence.

Group D games
Southgate is therefore almost certain to miss Middlesbrough's UEFA Cup Group D games with FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk at the Riverside stadium next week and the trip to the Netherlands to face AZ Alkmaar on 24 November, although he will hope to be back in contention by the time PFC Litex Lovech visit north-east England on 15 December. Steve McClaren's side opened their group-stage campaign with a 1-0 win in Zurich against Grasshopper-Club on Matchday 1.