GARETH Southgate has named his most attacking starting line-up of the season as Middlesbrough look to keep their Premier League survival hopes alive against Hull this afternoon.

Afonso Alves, Marlon King, Tuncay Sanli and Jeremie Aliadiere all start in a game Southgate admits is a "must win" encounter if Boro are to stave off the threat of relegation.

Alves and King are expected to start in attack, with Aliadiere on the right of midfield and Tuncay playing in the hole behind the two centre-forwards.

Matthew Bates is the only defensive midfielder in Boro's starting XI.

Tony McMahon and Andrew Taylor will play at full-back, with David Wheater and Robert Huth lining up at centre-half.

Hull boss Phil Brown has named an unchaged starting XI, although former Middlesbrough skipper George Boateng returns to the Tigers' bench.

MIDDLESBROUGH (4-4-2): Jones, McMahon, Wheater, Huth, Taylor, Aliadiere, Bates, Tuncay, Downing, Alves, King.

Subs: Turnbull, Hoyte, Riggott, Emnes, Shawky, A Johnson, Walker.

HULL (4-5-1): Duke, Ricketts, Zayatte, Turner, Dawson, Mendy, Barmby, Ashbee, Geovanni, Fagan, Manucho.

Subs: Myhill, Halmosi, Kilbane, Folan, Boateng, Marney, Featherstone.

* READ A FULL REPORT AND ANALYSIS OF TODAY'S GAME IN MONDAY'S NORTHERN ECHO **