Peterborough defender Mark Little will miss the visit of the Teessiders.
After 25 successive starts, Little is set to be rested as the right-back is also nursing a groin problem.
Captain Grant McCann was substituted as a precautionary measure after his superb free-kick rescued Posh a point in the 1-1 draw at Birmingham last weekend. The Northern Ireland international midfielder felt some discomfort in a calf but is expected to be fit.
Ahead of the game, manager Darren Ferguson said: "Middlesbrough are an excellent side in excellent form. They play with three centre-backs away from home and try to catch the opposition on the break.
"They outplayed us in the first half when they beat us in the Carling Cup earlier this season, but it is an advantage for us that we have seen how they play."
Middlesbrough boss Tony Mowbray, meanwhile, has no fresh injury problems ahead of their Championship trip to Peterborough.
Mowbray has only two doubts with full-back Justin Hoyte and midfielder Kevin Thomson being assessed.
Hoyte has missed the last two games with a hamstring problem, while a similar injury has sidelined the Scotland international for the last five.
However, the manager will definitely be without Scot Andy Halliday, who has joined League One Walsall on loan until January.
Boro head into the game on the back of a three-match unbeaten run, although last Saturday's 2-2 home draw with Blackpool, in which they led twice, enabled Cardiff to leapfrog them into third place in the table behind West Ham and leaders Southampton.
