Middlesbrough have learnt today that centre-back Emanuel Pogatetz looks likely to be out of action until Christmas following his cartliage operation. Pogatetz picked up the injury in pre-season and piles on the misery for Southgate when it comes to the centre-back position. He is already without Woodgate for the first 3-weeks of the season recovering from his own surgery, while Riggott, Huth and Bates are also sidelined. Boro’s opening to the season is certainly one of the kindest churned out by the fixtures computer but they are set to go into with the youthful and untested centre-back pairing of Wheater and Davies.