MIDDLESBROUGH welcome back striker Scott McDonald for the trip to Burnley today.

McDonald suffered a hamstring injury during Boro's 3-1 defeat of Birmingham City, and missed the Peterborough United and Coventry City games. However, the international break afforded the Australian frontman the opportunity to regain his fitness, and replaces Julio Arca in the Boro line-up.

Tony Mowbray is understood to have stuck with the popular 3-5-2 formation which has yielded much success so far this term, with Joe Bennett and Justin Hoyte attacking wing-backs leaving a defensive three of Tony McMahon, Stephen McManus and Matthew Bates.

Barry Robson has overcome a knock suffered on international duty in midweek, and drops from playing in the hole to a more deep-lying midfield position.

McDonald will partner npower player of the month Marvin Emnes as Boro look to continue their unbeaten run.

Incidentally, Boro's last defeat in the league happened here, at Turf Moor, five months – and 11 games – ago.

BURNLEY: Jensen, Trippier, Mee, Easton, Marney, McCann, Treacy, Wallace, Edgar, Rodriguez, Austin. Subs: Grant (gk), Stanislas, Bartley, Amougou, Hines.

MIDDLESBROUGH (3-5-2): Ikeme; McMahon, Bates, McManus; Hoyte, Williams, Bailey, Robson, Bennett; McDonald, Emnes. Subs: Kink, Zemmama, Arca, Martin, Haroun.