ANFERNEE DIJKSTEEL and Luke Thomas return to Middlesbrough's starting line-up for his evening's home game with Leeds United.

Dijksteel will make his first league start since the end of December, having been an unused substitute in Boro's last league game at Ipswich.

The defender replaces Luke Ayling, who cannot line up against his permanent employers this evening.

Thomas is recalled on the left of the Boro backline, with the Leicester loanee getting the nod ahead of Lukas Engel, who is absent because of personal reasons.

Sam Greenwood does not feature in tonight's squad as, like Ayling, he cannot feature against his permanent employers, Leeds.

Eighteen-year-old goalkeeper Shea Connor is named on the Boro substitutes' bench, along with 18-year-old winger Charlie Lennon.

Leeds boss Daniel Farke has named former Boro striker Patrick Bamford in his starting line-up, with his side currently sitting in second position in the table, two points adrift of second-placed Ipswich.


MIDDLESBROUGH (4-2-3-1): Dieng; Dijksteel, van den Berg, Clarke, Thomas; Howson, O'Brien; I Jones, Azaz, Silvera; Latte Lath.

Subs: J Jones (gk), Connor (gk), Barlaser, Hoppe, Gilbert, Bangura, Lennon, McCabe, Matthews.


LEEDS (4-2-3-1): Meslier; Byram, Rodon, Ampadu, Firpo; Gray, Gruev; Gnonto, Rutter, Summerville; Bamford.

Subs: Darlow (gk), Cooper, Kamara, James, Shackleton, Fernandez, Piroe, Gelhardt, Anthony.