Middlesbrough vs Leeds United preview - Dimi out for Boro

Posted Friday, February 20, 2015 by PA

Middlesbrough will be without goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopoulos for Saturday's Sky Bet Championship visit by Leeds.

The Greece international is suspended after being sent off during Wednesday night's 1-1 draw at Birmingham and is likely to be replaced by Tomas Mejias, who took over at St Andrews. Defender Daniel Ayala will also be unavailable as he continues his recovery from the thigh injury which has sidelined him for the last two games.

Muzzy Carayol stepped up his comeback from a knee injury by playing 90 minutes for the club's Under-21s on Tuesday but is not yet ready to return, and Damia Abella (knee) and Rhys Williams (Achilles) are also still out.

Emmanuel Ledesma is close to sealing a loan move to Brighton and defender Seb Hines in set to Join MLS side Orlando City.

Leeds defender Liam Cooper is fit after a hip problem but is set to watch the clash at the Riverside from the bench.

Giuseppe Bellusci and Sol Bamba have marshalled United to back-to-back clean sheets in Cooper's absence and that should see them continue at centre-back, with Bamba expected to overcome a slight hamstring issue.

Neil Redfearn is likely to stick with the side which edged past Millwall last time out to make it four victories in five games for Leeds.

Tommaso Bianchi remains sidelined with a knee injury, while January signing Granddi Ngoyi is still struggling with the thigh problem which has prevented him from featuring for the Whites yet.