JONNY HOWSON and Ben Doak return to Middlesbrough's starting side for this evening's game at QPR.

Howson makes his first Championship start of the season at Loftus Road, standing in for Hayden Hackney, who is serving a one-match suspension following his sending off in Saturday's defeat to Coventry City.

Doak missed the weekend game at the Riverside because of a minor hamstring issue, but the Liverpool loanee is back in the starting side tonight.

Doak replaces Isaiah Jones on the right-hand side as Michael Carrick makes two changes to his weekend line-up.

There is still no place in the starting line-up for Dael Fry, with the defender once again named amongst the Boro substitutes.

That means Matt Clarke and George Edmundson continuing to play alongside each other at the heart of the back four, with Luke Ayling and Neto Borges filling the full-back positions.


QPR (4-2-3-1): Nardi; Dunne, Cook, Field, Santos; Morgan, Varane; Madsen, Chair, Saito; Celar.

Subs: Shepperd, Smyth, Morrison, Dixon-Bonner, Andersen, Kolli, Bennie, Lloyd, Aoraha.


MIDDLESBROUGH (4-2-3-1): Dieng; Ayling, Clarke, Edmundson, Borges; Howson, Morris; Doak, Azaz, McGree; Conway.

Subs:  Brynn, Barlaser, Fry, Latte Lath, Burgzorg, Jones, Dijksteel, Hamilton, Forss.