Middlesbrough vs Bolton Wanderers preview - Gibson set to miss out for Boro

Middlesbrough head coach Aitor Karanka is unlikely to have central defender Ben Gibson available for the Sky Bet Championship clash with Bolton but David Nugent could make his debut.

England Under-21 international Gibson has missed the first two games of the new season after suffering a hamstring injury during the pre-season friendly against Barnsley last month, but while he is close to a return, the weekend could come too soon.

Jack Stephens, Diego Fabbrini and Cristhian Stuani all made first starts for the club in Wednesday night's 3-1 Capital One Cup victory at Oldham - in which Stuani scored twice - and will hope to retain their places, although Nugent, who signed for an undisclosed fee from Leicester on Friday, will be vying with the latter.

Central defender Jonathan Woodgate continues to work his way back to full fitness, while long-term absentees Alex Baptiste, Damia Abella and Rhys Williams are still missing.

Bolton will be without their skipper Darren Pratley for the trip to Teesside.

The midfielder damaged ankle ligaments in the opening-weekend draw with Derby and is unlikely to return until after the international break in September, although Wanderers do have Jay Spearing back from suspension following his dismissal against the Rams.

Defender Prince-Desir Gouano will come back after missing out against Burton in midweek with a knock, yet long-term injury absentees Derik Osede (ankle), David Wheater (calf) and Max Clayton (knee) remain missing.

Dean Moxey is likely to continue at left-back as Wanderers accepted a bid from QPR for United States international Tim Ream, who is nursing a dead leg anyway, earlier this week.