MIDDLESBROUGH'S Bolo Zenden had words of warning for Everton and Liverpool last night: "We're not going to give up on a Champions League place just yet".

Boro's failure to overcome the Toffees at the Riverside Stadium on Sunday has left the eight point gap between the two sides intact.

And having emerged from a difficult run of matches, which included games with Manchester United and Chelsea, with just four points from a possible 15 the chances of finishing in fourth spot have been hampered.

However, Zenden believes the New Year starts here for Middlesbrough as they embark on an eight league game sequence against sides Steve McClaren's men must be confident of beating - starting at Norwich on Saturday.

The Dutchman, who scored his sixth goal of the season at the weekend, thinks the gap will have been closed before Arsenal visit arrive on Teesside on April 9.

"Sunday was a very good opportunity for us to lift ourselves above Liverpool in the table. But that never happened and that's why it's quite disappointing," said Zenden.

"But I don't see any reason why we can't get back up there and close the gap on Everton. You have to remember that we had a very difficult spell over Christmas.

"We had to play Man United and Chelsea and then we had to play Everton on Sunday. That was a really difficult run of games for us. It was hard over Christmas but we have to work hard on making sure that we collect all the points.

"After the Everton game, when you look at it from a distance, it was disappointing that we lost the lead that we had gained."

As well as having a testing run of games recently, Boro have also had to cope with an ever-growing injury list.

And the news that Ugo Ehiogu, making his first Premiership start since September 11 two days ago, is now facing another lengthy spell on the sidelines with knee ligament damage is a massive blow.

With Chris Riggott also ruled out for a couple more weeks at least, veteran defender Colin Cooper will be asked to fill the breach alongside Gareth Southgate in the pair's absence.

Cooper, despite being 38, was forced to play his eighth game from ten matches against Everton and team-mate Zenden was full of admiration for a player who signed a one-year extension last summer.

"Colin has done fantastically and for his age he's doing really well. There's nothing negative to say against him and we are all pleased that a player of his ability is still among us," said Zenden.

"It's a shame for Ugo because it really isn't going his way. In fact, with all the injuries, it hasn't been going the team's way for a while now.

"We have to keep on going. Ugo is very unlucky. When I was at Chelsea I had a nasty gash to the knee and I was out for three months. So I know that when you do have time out like that that it's very difficult to work back towards your fitness.

"Sometimes people think that when you are injured that you actually have it easy. You have time off to go on holiday but you actually have to make the time up double.

"You are isolated and it makes it difficult. It must have been a positive feeling to be back but not now."

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