Venue: Riverside Date: Saturday, 29 November Kick-off: 1500 GMT
Coverage: Full-match commentary on BBC Tees 95FM, updates on BBC Radio 5-Live, BBC Sport website & highlights on Match of the Day; featured game on Final Score
Striker Mido has recovered from a groin injury and joins Middlesbrough's squad.
Robert Huth (ankle) is back in training but not yet match-fit and Chris Riggott (hamstring) remains on the sidelines.
Newcastle's Damien Duff (groin) and Shola Ameobi (ankle) have been ruled out, but Mark Viduka could finally return after an Achilles injury.
Steven Taylor has a chance of being included in the squad following his recovery from an abdominal muscle tear and Xisco (hamstring) is also fit.
Middlesbrough (from): Turnbull, Hoyte, Taylor, Wheater, Pogatetz, O'Neil, Digard, Aliadiere, Downing, Mido, Tuncay, Jones, Grounds, Arca, Walker, Emnes, A Johnson, Alves, Hines.
Newcastle (from): Given, Harper, Beye, Enrique, N,Zogbia, Bassong, Coloccini, Taylor, Cacapa, Edgar, Butt, Guthrie, Gutierrez, Geremi, Owen, Martins, Viduka, Carroll, Xisco.
Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate:
"We have to make better decisions at both ends of the field and if we do that it will go a long way to us getting a good result.
"We need a positive reaction after our poor display last week whereas Newcastle will be buoyed by their last performance.
"We are four points ahead of them in the table. It is incredible for us to be above a club of Newcastle's status.
"Everybody knows the quality of players they have got and we will need to be at our very best to beat them."
The 120th Tyne-Tees derby, and 113th in the league sees Middlesbrough eager to hang on to a top 10 berth, and Newcastle anxious to get out of the relegation zone.
'Boro narrowly missed out on registering their best sequence under Gareth Southgate, when a five-match unbeaten run came to an end, home to Bolton last weekend.
Newcastle have scored two more goals than the Teessiders, yet find themselves four points and eight places inferior. The top-flight's draw specialists are chasing a third league win under Joe Kinnear.
The last three of the 24 Premier League meetings between these clubs have been drawn. Middlesbrough's most recent of three victories over their North-East rivals, and their only maximum in the last five home meetings was 1-0 on 22 October 2006 when Yakubu grabbed the winner with five minutes remaining.
Distance between the clubs: 45 miles (72 kilometres)
MIDDLESBROUGH
10th 18 points
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 7th
Lowest could fall: 13th
1. Won one of the last five home league matches.
2. Completed 39 Premier League games without a goalless draw; the most recent being away to Bolton on 11 November 2007.
3. Yet to score a headed Premier League goal this season.
4. At their most active in the last 15 minutes; scored seven league goals and conceded eight in the closing quarter-hour.
5. Lost the last two North-East Premier League derbies, and no win in six since a 1-0 home victory over Newcastle on 22 October 2006.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
18th 14 points
Highest realistically achievable after Saturday's matches: 13th
Lowest could realistically fall: 18th
1. Lost one of five Premier League games; drawn the last two.
2. Drawn 50% of their league games under Joe Kinnear; four of eight, winning two.
3. The only club averaging a point a game in the Premier League; 14 from 14.
4. The top-flight's draw specialists; five of 14.
5. One penalty award short of their club record seven in the Premier League, set in 2000-01.
6. The lowest placed of the three clubs still without an away win in the Premier League.
7. On the longest current run of any top-flight club without an away victory; 10 matches. The 1-4 win over Tottenham at White Hart Lane on 30 March 2008 is their only maximum in 18 on the road.
8. Won one of their last seven North-East Premier League derbies; 2-0, home to Sunderland on 20 April 2008.
MIDDLESBROUGH
Gary O'NEIL is the only remaining player to have been on the field for every minute of every one of Middlesbrough's Premier League matches this season.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Shay GIVEN and Fabricio COLOCCINI have played every minute of every one of Newcastle's Premier League matches this season.
If he scores:-
Shola AMEOBI will reach the milestone of 50 club career goals (Newcastle and Stoke).
If selected:-
Mark VIDUKA will be facing a former club. The 33 year old Australian international made 101 appearances (72 in the league) and scored 42 goals (26 league) in the three years he spent with Middlesbrough before signing for Newcastle in June last year.
Njitap GEREMI will also be facing former team mates. The 29 year old Cameroon international made 34 appearances (33 in the league) and scored seven league goals for Middlesbrough, when on loan from Real Madrid for a year from July 2002.
Suspended:-
Habib BEYE (one match)
Both of Middlesbrough's only home Premier League victories over Newcastle were 1-0; the first came at the seventh attempt on 5 March 2003.
It's 34 years and 24 matches (all comps) since there was last a goalless draw between Middlesbrough and Newcastle on Teesside.
This fixture produced Middlesbrough's record attendance of 53,596 on 27 December 1949.
Home and away
League (inc PL): Middlesbrough 35 wins, Newcastle 43, Draws 34
Prem: Middlesbrough 3 wins, Newcastle 12, Draws 9
at Middlesbroughugh only
League (inc PL): Middlesbrough 24 wins, Newcastle 14, Draws 18
Prem: Middlesbrough 2 wins, Newcastle 6, Draws 4
Middlesbrough 2-2 Newcastle United
26 August 2007 - Ref: Mike Dean
Middlesbrough scorers: Mido 28, Arca 80
Newcastle scorers: N'Zogbia 22, Viduka 77
Alan Wiley (Stafforshire)
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