Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate was thrilled with Afonso Alves' performance in his first start for the club for last night's FA Cup replay victory over Sheffield United.

"He was bright, he showed a few flashes of what is going to come," said Southgate. "There was one free-kick that we were standing behind and we thought, 'He is not going to hit this', and it moved all over the place.

"It was good to give him a start - it was obviously not the most popular decision to take him off, but we were very conscious that it was his first game and with Reading on Saturday as well, we had to have an eye on both things."