Town boss Mick McCarthy has handed on-loan Barnsley defender Paul Digby his first league start for the Blues at Middlesbrough.

Digby, 21, looks set to come into the back four as the right-sided centre-half alongside Tommy Smith with Christophe Berra not in the 18 due to a knee injury.

The Sheffield-born loanee has previously made three sub appearances for the Blues in the league in addition to two FA Cup starts. For Barnsley he has made 11 senior starts and has made 14 appearances from the bench.

McCarthy has made four changes in total with Luke Hyam, David McGoldrick and Kevin Bru also starting, while Andre Dozzell, Brett Pitman and Jonathan Douglas drop to the bench, alongside Teddy Bishop.

Second-placed Middlesbrough start with Jordan Rhodes, while David Nugent is amongst their subs. The Teessiders make one change with Ritchie De Laet replacing George Friend, who has a hamstring injury, at left-back.

Middlesbrough: Konstantopoulos, Nsue, Ayala, Gibson, De Laet, Clayton, Leadbitter, Adomah, Ramirez, Downing, Rhodes. Subs: Agazzi, Nugent, Forshaw, Kalas, Stuani, Husband, De Sart.

Town: Bialkowski, Knudsen, Chambers (c), Smith, Digby, Skuse, Hyam, Bru, Feeney, Sears, McGoldrick. Subs: Gerken, Foley, Bishop, Dozzell, Douglas, Pringle, Pitman. Referee: Darren Bond (Lancashire).

Photo: Action Images

Seasider added 15:07 - Apr 23 Would preferred to have seen Foley partner Skuse as Hyam worries me.If he gets yellow,then get him off straight away. Hope Bart doesn't boot it upfield all the time,and not too much elsewhere either,as the ball will just come back again. Hopefully pass and move forward at speed,and be positive as nothing to lose,as now not possibleto reach playoffs due to Wednesday result.

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bluey123 added 15:26 - Apr 23 Boring Boring McCarthy we simply don't know how to go forward McCarthy OUT
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rfretwell added 15:28 - Apr 23 Amazing fans were happy with Hyam before his injury now after that Lon layoff they aren't. It takes time to get back to your best form!
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bluey123 added 15:35 - Apr 23 Fab Bart saves the idiot McCarthy yet again McCarthy OUT
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midastouch added 15:35 - Apr 23 Luke Hyam (Ipswich Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. What a surprise!
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prebsa added 16:03 - Apr 23 rfretwell - lots were not happy with Hyam ever! Average player who only gets people happy because he is one of our own. Not a good enough reason to play football!
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Currie10 added 17:59 - Apr 23 Surprise surprise zero comments after a clean sheet with Digby playing but loads of jibes before the game with the up arrow gang out in force. Standard.
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Currie10 added 19:24 - Apr 23 Oh here we go I get a minus comment for that......... WELL DONE.
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jonbull88 added 23:07 - Apr 23 Lose lose for poor mick today, go for a draw with his best team, with the prospect of a goal on the counter and he gets slagged off. Play a team of youth and reserves and get thumped 5/6-0 and he'd get slated and told to F off. #mick in
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