Stand-in Boro chief Agnew refuses to be distracted

Boro are clear of the bottom three in the Championship table only on goal difference and Agnew says: "It is up to myself and Mark Proctor to work with the players and give them the belief that we can go to Norwich and pick up the points. The players have been different class in terms of what we wanted."

Strachan resigned as manager on Monday and Norwich City boss Paul Lambert has appeared on some bookmakers' list of candidates as a 16-1 shot.

Two former Middlesbrough captains, Tony Mowbray and Paul Ince, and much-travelled former Norwich chief Gary Megson, however, are reported to be the front runners.

Club chairman Steve Gibson has told Agnew that he is "in charge for the foreseeable future" and though Mowbray is favourite to take over, he is still being paid by Celtic under the terms of his "gardening leave" agreement.

Boro's Julio Arca (knee) is a doubt today. Kevin Thomson and Justin Hoyte are both back in light training while Jonathan Franks, Matt Kilgallon, Willo Flood and Rhys Williams remain on the casualty list.

Fourth-placed Burnley could be boosted by the return of defender Danny Fox (thigh strain) at home to Reading.

Defender Clarke Carlisle serves the final game of a three-match ban and midfielder Chris McCann is a long-term injury absentee.

Reading midfielder Brynjar Gunnarsson will again miss out through a hamstring injury but former Coventry midfielder Jay Tabb (foot) is available.

Leeds United manager Simon Grayson may try to extend defender George McCartney's loan from Sunderland.

The Northern Ireland international, 29, will play the last game of his current spell against Cardiff at Elland Road on Monday.

Grayson said: "We're delighted with how George has done. He's shown the qualities he has got while he's been here.

"I've spoken to Steve Bruce about the situation and if there's a deal to be done it might benefit everyone."

McCartney's initial loan was extended by two days to allow him to feature against Cardiff.