CAUTIOUS captain Gareth Southgate says Middlesbrough should be trying to put their own house in order rather than what Michael Owen's absence means to Newcastle United.

The Magpies' hopes of a top six finish this season have been dented by the prospect of being without their club record buy for three months with a broken metatarsal.

By that time, in light of the Tyneside outfit's current injury predicament, Newcastle could be at the wrong end of the Premiership fighting relegation.

A Boro win today and manager Graeme Souness' position is sure to come under the spotlight once again. But Southgate, well aware his own side are still four points shy of their North-East rivals after a poor start to the season, wants Boro to only focus on their own task in hand.

"We have got enough on our own plate with trying to field a team and our own position in the league than to start thinking of how much of a blow it is to Newcastle to lose Michael Owen," said Southgate.

"Who knows what shape Newcastle, Owen or anyone would be with two games inside three days. The only positive I can take from that is that he will be fit for the World Cup. I hope he is anyway because a lot rests on his shoulders for England. But I won't be worrying about what it means for Newcastle."

Saturday's goalless draw may have ensured Boro have yet to lose to Manchester City in the Premiership, but the point did little to increase the daylight between themselves and the bottom three.

Portsmouth's victory over Fulham means Boro sit just four points above a relegation place. Manager Steve McClaren, however, is doing his best to remain optimistic.

With Stewart Downing and Ray Parlour still a fortnight away from a possible return, McClaren believes results will take a turn for the better sooner rather than later after witnessing his side keep a clean sheet for the first time since August.

"You always want to win. What was important was to stop the rot after the last two performances. It comes with a performance of grit and character. What was important was to have a clean sheet," he said.

"You know with Mark Viduka, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Aiyegbeni Yakubu we will score goals. At the present moment, we haven't done that.

"We have players coming back who can win matches. I am not too concerned. I am disappointed not to be higher in the league, but we have 19 games to go."

McClaren, who will hand a late fitness test to Yakubu today after the Nigerian picked up a hip problem on Saturday, did question how Sylvain Distin's first half trip on Viduka did not warrant a penalty.

He said: "We had a stonewall penalty and we didn't get it. What do you have to do to get one here? It was so blatant. We didn't get the breaks. I said to the players to keep working and we will get the breaks."