Boro hunt down Foxes

Middlesbrough are in vital league action on Friday evening when facing up to promotion rivals Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.

The Premier League hopefuls are currently locked together on 47 points in the table and just a couple shy of automatic promotion place, but now a full ten points behind leaders Cardiff City.

The visitors will again be making late checks on a number of players with Jonathan Woodgate (calf), Marvin Emnes (hamstring), Andre Bikey (hamstring), Justin Hoyte (hip) and Andrew Halliday (broken nose) all needing assessment.

Otherwise, striker Curtis Main (knee) returned to Under-21 action earlier this week and it's hoped that Muzzy Carayol (knee) can do likewise on Monday.

"They're the top scorers at home in the league this year and they've scored ten in the last two games," manager Tony Mowbray told Boro's official website. "In the home game against them we saw their athleticism and strength. They're a powerful team and we have to be ready to match that. We'll try and pick a team that can do just that and give them problems."

The Foxes expect French winger Anthony Knockaert to be fit despite limping off last week while former Fleetwood Town striker Jamie Vardy has recovered from a heel problem.

But defensive duo Sean St Ledger and Zak Whitbread remain on the sidelines.

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