Brentford vs Middlesbrough preview - As you were for Bees

Posted Friday, January 30, 2015 by PA

Brentford could be unchanged for the lunchtime visit of promotion rivals Middlesbrough.

Toumani Diagouraga and James Tarkowski have shaken off knocks picked up at Norwich last week so boss Mark Warburton will be tempted to stick with the side which registered a 2-1 win.

Alan Judge is set to miss out again with a knee problem, Lewis Macleod is receiving treatment on the hamstring injury which has delayed his debut while Alan McCormack is close to returning from an ankle problem but will not be risked yet.

Scott Hogan remains a long-term absentee as he recovers from cruciate ligament damage.

Middlesbrough defender Daniel Ayala will miss out through suspension.

Ayala collected his 10th booking of the season in last weekend's stunning FA Cup fourth-round victory at Barclays Premier League aristocrats Manchester City, and will sit out the next two games as a result.

On loan defender Tomas Kalas missed the game at the Etihad Stadium with an ankle problem, and is also likely to sit out at Griffin Park.

Manager Aitor Karanka otherwise has no fresh problems, but is still without full-backs Emilio Nsue, who is on duty with Equatorial Guinea at the African Nations Cup, and Ryan Fredericks as he continues his recovery from a thigh muscle problem.