Middlesbrough's Aitor Karanka keeping options open over return of George Friend for promotion showdown with Brighton

Friend, named in the PFA Championship team of the year recently, has missed Boro’s last two matches after injuring his hamstring in the second half of the summit meeting at Burnley on April 19.

On the availability of Friend, Karanka, whose side will be promoted to the Premier League if they win or draw, said: “I don’t know at the moment. But I am positive because he is an important player for us and I hope he can play.

“He’s more than a player as his attitude transmits to all of his team-mates.”

Meanwhile, Karanka insists that his side will not play with the footballing equivalent of fire and go for a draw on Saturday.

Boro can clinch promotion with a point against the Seagulls, whose goal difference is inferior to their own, but Karanka is solely focused on securing victory in front of an expectant sell-out Riverside crowd and will be going for three points - and says his side will not play for a draw.

The Basque added: “It is difficult to go to the pitch thinking that a draw is good. Because my experience tells me when you go onto the pitch thinking about drawing a game, you are going to lose those games.

“So, for that reason, we will do everything to try and beat Brighton, although we know it is going to be a tough game.”

Karanka revealed he is pleased that a massively-experienced Select Group official in Mike Dean is taking charge of the game with the Seagulls and is anxious to avoid the controversy which shrouded Boro’s last game at Birmingham - when Boro were denied a legitimate goal at a key juncture when the score was locked at 2-2.

On appointment of Dean, in the middle for Boro’s play-off final loss to Norwich almost 12 months, he added: “I think it can be a massive. He’s been a referee for almost 400 games in the Premier League and it’s almost 20 years in his career.

“I think it is the best thing because this game is going to be followed in every single place in the world.”