Football: Weekend guide to the Premiership: TOMORROW'S GAME (4.0): Middlesbrough v Newcastle

Last season: No fixture

BRIAN DEANE, the Middlesbrough striker, faces a fitness test before the North-east derby at the Riverside Stadium tomorrow. Manager Bryan Robson gives the former Benfica forward a 50-50 chance of recovering from an ankle injury. Midfield player Phil Stamp has made a quick recovery from a shoulder injury and is included in the squad.

Paul Gascoigne could be a doubt for the game against his first club after aggravating an ankle injury in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal last Sunday. Gascoigne, just back from a one-match suspension, will soon face a further suspension after picking up his fourth booking in as many games in the same match.

Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer, hoping to team up with Duncan Ferguson for the first time, and goalkeeper Shay Given are being given time to prove their fitness. Shearer has been out with a hamstring injury for almost three weeks, while Given injured his shoulder in a clash with Wimbledon defender Ben Thatcher last Saturday. But midfielders Rob Lee and Steve Glass are both back in contention after injury, while defenders Nikos Dabizas and Stuart Pearce return to the squad after suspension.

MIDDLESBROUGH (from): Schwarzer, Fleming, Stockdale, Cooper, Vickers, Pallister, Gordon, Stamp, Mustoe, Gascoigne, Townsend, Maddison, Beck, Deane, Ricard.

NEWCASTLE UNITED (from): Given, Harper, Pearce, Charvet, Barton, Howey, Dabizas, Hughes, Lee, Speed, Hamann, Glass, Solano, Gillespie, Shearer, Ferguson, Andersson, Dalglish, Serrant, Albert, Ketsbaia.

Suspensions: None.

Referee: P Jones.