STEVE McCLAREN has issued another hands-off warning over Gareth Southgate as the Middlesbrough skipper battles to overcome flu to make his 100th appearance for the club at Blackburn today.

Manchester United, seeking a replacement for Rio Ferdinand following his eight-month ban for failing to turn up for a drugs test, are again being linked with Southgate.

But Boro boss McClaren maintains that the 33-year-old defender, whose contract runs until the end of next season, is an integral part of his plans.

"He's due to play his 100th game for us and we want him to stay for another 100 games,'' declared McClaren. "He can see the ambition of the club and how close we are to becoming a very good team.

"I expect him to stay - we don't want to let him go. He's been here two-and-a-half years, he's been to a World Cup with England in that time, and I fully expect him to play well for the next few months and go to Portugal for Euro 2004.''

McClaren, former assistant to Man. United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, made Southgate his first signing when he lured him from Aston Villa for £6.5m.

But Boro's failure to mount a sustained challenge for honours has been a source of frustration to the cultured centre-back.

Man. United have been repeatedly credited with an interest in Southgate, but McClaren insisted: "There's been no approach for Gareth. Whenever there is talk of a club wanting a centre-half, Gareth's name is bound to come up because he is one of the top centre-halves in the country and has proved that with his performances here.

"We took a gamble on Gareth. He wanted to get away from Villa, we paid the price and got value for money. He's been fantastic for the club.''

McClaren expects Southgate to shake off illness and face Graeme Souness's beleaguered Blackburn.

But Ugo Ehiogu, yet to play this season after cruciate liagment damage, is close to a comeback.

Ehiogu is likely to be on the bench at Ewood Park, where his injury-blighted year began with broken ribs and a punctured lung.

"Gareth is ill and we'll have to see how he is, but he should be OK,'' said McClaren.

"I'm tempted to start with Ugo. I've spoken to him and he's almost ready, but Gareth and Colin Cooper have been magnificent together at the centre of defence and Ugo has to prise the shirt away from one of those two.

"Colin has been fantastic for us. We call him the old warrior and certainly appreciate what he is doing for the team.''

Boro are unbeaten in their last ten League and Cup games, and Southgate and Cooper have formed the cornerstone of a defence which is chasing a Premiership record after keeping seven successive clean sheets.

One more today will equal the record set by Arsenal five years ago, and if Boro then hold out for over 35 minutes against Man. United at the Riverside on Sunday, the outright record will be theirs.

However, no Boro player has scored in open play in the League for 420 minutes - Bolo Zenden being the last to do so in the 2-0 win at Villa on November 8 - and McClaren confessed: "We're not an exciting team at the moment, but I don't care as long as we pick up points.''

Blackburn lost 2-0 at home to Villa last weekend in a display former Boro star Souness branded as "rubbish''.

But McClarem is aware of the threat posed by strike duo Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke, who played under him at Old Trafford.

"I enjoyed working with them and know how good they are,'' said McClaren. "They're certainly still a major threat.

"I know Graeme Souness described his side's performance against Villa as the worst he has known, so I fully expect a bit of a backlash.''

McClaren, meanwhile, confirmed Boro have begun discussing a new contract with Stewart Downing after turning down a £500,000 offer from First Division Wigan.

The 19-year-old winger, recalled from a successful loan spell with Sunderland, is out of contract at the end of the season.

McClaren said: "We're looking to extend his contract and we're working on it now. He did very well when he came on as a substitute at Tottenham in the Carling Cup. He gives us another option and we need it with Doriva injured and Jonathan Greening struggling with tonsillitis.''