Football: Weekend guide to the Premiership: Middlesbrough v Leicester Last season: No fixture

MIDDLESBROUGH'S HAMILTON RICARD is being given time to prove he has recovered from his trip to Colombia before being picked today. The 25-year-old was on international duty in Bogota for his country's 1-1 draw with Denmark last week when the earthquake struck, and although he returned safe and well, manager Bryan Robson is taking no chances. "Hamilton was out of the way of where the earthquake was and it doesn't seem to have affected him," said Robson, who has a more or less full squad to choose from, although goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer has a flu bug which has prevented him training all week.

Leicester will arrive at the Riverside Stadium on the back of two tough games, losing 3-0 to Coventry in the FA Cup on Saturday and then taking a 2-1 first leg lead in their Worthington Cup semi-final with Sunderland on Tuesday night. Manager Martin O'Neill will be without his influential midfield pairing of Muzzy Izzet and Neil Lennon. Northern Ireland international Lennon is serving a one-match suspension while Izzet has failed to shake off a groin strain. Veteran midfielder Garry Parker is expected to replace Lennon in midfield, while Theo Zagorakis and Stuart Campbell are vying to take over from Izzet.

MIDDLESBROUGH: squad to be announced.

LEICESTER (from): Keller, Arphexad, Sinclair, Taggart, Walsh, Taylor, Heskey, Parker, Guppy, Savage, Kaamark, Elliott, Ullathorne, Fenton, Impey, Wilson, Cottee, Campbell, Oakes, Zagorakis.

Suspensions: Boro: Summerbell. Leicester: Lennon.

Referee: D Gallagher.