MIDDLESBROUGH defender Ugo Ehiogu last night urged Sven Goran Eriksson to play him alongside teammate Gareth Southgate at this summer's European Championships.

Ehiogu has been capped four times by his country, but his last international appearance came almost two years ago when he was a second-half substitute in England's 2-1 home defeat to Italy.

The likes of John Terry and Jonathan Woodgate have moved ahead of him in the international pecking order since then but, in the enforced absence of Rio Ferdinand, Eriksson still has some tough defensive decisions to make before his squad leave for Portugal.

Southgate's international ambitions were resurrected when he played the full 90 minutes of last month's 1-1 draw in Portugal and, despite missing the first half of the season with a knee injury, Ehiogu has not given up hope of a similar recall.

"I don't see any reason why Gareth and I cannot be thrown together because we wouldn't let anyone down," said Ehiogu.

"We play every week together and we know each other's game, so that would be perfect for me.

"Realistically I think Euro 2004 has passed me by because there are two or three players in front of me, but I think I have got the talent to make the squad.

"But I've missed a lot of the season and that won't help - other players have come from nowhere and got the opportunity.

"I'm always hopeful but, if I have any chance at all, I've got to play every week and show my consistency for the rest of the season."

Ehiogu was part of the Middlesbrough side that kept the club's Carling Cup celebrations going with a hard-earned 1-0 win over Spurs on Tuesday night.

The victory took Boro to 11th in the Premiership - just two places below their best-ever finish.

Winning the Carling Cup has created a considerable feel-good factor on Teesside, but finishing in the top eight would arguably be an even greater achievement.

Ehiogu accepts that Boro's progress will be judged on where they finish in the league this season, and the 31-year-old is adamant that last month's Cardiff win will not go to waste.

"Tuesday night was a bit 'after the Lord Mayor's show'," he said. "But it was a win - which is all-important.

"I am firmly of the belief that, with the players we have got, we should be breaking that record and getting above ninth in the Premiership.

"We weren't allowed to see the match programme before Tuesday's game, which was understandable.

"There has been a lot of not fulfilling our potential here, which is why this week's result was so important. Although, if we don't do well at Charlton, it will be back to square one a little bit."

The win over Spurs was secured by Szilard Nemeth and the Slovakian is fast becoming Boro's super-sub.

Nemeth wasn't even in the Boro squad for the Carling Cup success but, since then, he has proved his worth by coming off the bench to score in two games in a row.

The 26-year-old hasn't started a game since January 17 but, with Joseph-Desire Job and Massimo Maccarone failing to fire in their last two outings, that could change when Boro visit Charlton on Saturday.

"You have to take your hat off to Szilard," said Ehiogu. "He was left out of the cup final squad so to come back and keep his focus was very important for him.

"He scored against Birmingham and has scored another now, so everyone at the club hopes he can take that on and prove himself week in, week out."

Read more about Middlesbrough here.