TERRY VENABLES is counting the cost of Middlesbrough's FA Cup knockout - the possible loss of an entire team.

Relegation-haunted Boro face a ten-day lay-off after their 3-1 extra-time exit against Wimbledon at Selhurst Park.

But that won't be long enough to cushion the impact of a mounting list of injuries and suspensions.

Southampton visit the Riverside Stadium a week on Saturday when Venables could yet be forced to reckon without as many as 13 members of Boro's first-team squad.

Transfer-listed defender Gianluca Festa was yesterday having an X-ray to discover whether he broke an arm in Tuesday's fourth-round replay.

And midfielder Phil Stamp suffered what looked to be a recurrence of hamstring trouble when he failed to reappear for the second half.

To compound Venables' problems, centre-back Ugo Ehiogu was sent off for violent conduct after flooring Dons' defender Mark Williams with a punch.

Ehiogu, who was himself already nursing a knock from last Saturday's 1-1 draw against former club Aston Villa, will serve a three-match ban which takes effect when Charlton travel to Teesside on Saturday, March 3.

But Venables' immediate concern is how hard Boro will be hit for the Southampton clash.

Wing-back Keith O'Neill, a surprise absentee against Wimbledon, starts a three-match ban, while defender Colin Cooper also misses the Saints date because of a one-game suspension.

On top of that, Boro could have a full side unavailable through injuries.

The current casualty list reads:

Festa (arm); Stamp (hamstring); Alen Boksic (groin); Christian Karembeu (eye); Paul Okon (groin); Noel Whelan (back); Steve Vickers (abdomen); Gary Pallister (back); Mark Summerbell (shoulder); Joseph-Desire Job (knee ligaments); Carlos Marinelli (ankle ligaments).

Of those 11, midfielder Karembeu is expected to be cleared to return after suffering a grazed eyeball at Villa Park, while Boro will be hoping that the enforced break gives Boksic time to shake off the niggling injury which restricted him to a substitute's role at Selhurst.

But Venables is still facing the prospect of being down to the bare bones and knows he faces a major test of his renowned managerial skills.

Boro's head coach, named manager of the month for January, saw his unbeaten record shattered by First Division Wimbledon in his 13th game in charge.

And despite Venables' proud run, Boro have now gone six games without a win in League and Cup.

Venables admitted: "Everyone is down and realy low - and quite rightly.

"The players may get a few days off to help clear up a lot of niggling injury problems.

"We have been affected by so many games in such a short space of time and we'll see where we are after we can get some rest into the players who need it."

Ehiogu, Boro's £8m record signing, was also guilty of giving away the penalty which brought Wimbledon level after Hamilton Ricard had put the Teessiders ahead with a superlative finish.

Boro right-back Curtis Fleming said: "Ugo has held his hands up and admitted he had to go.

"He said the guy caught him first, but he retaliated by punching him in the face and you can't do that.

"He said he had been elbowed before he punched the guy, but the referee didn't see that, he just saw Ugo swinging.

"He is feeling really down at the moment, especially after the penalty decision as well.''

Venables added: "I'm not too thrilled about Ugo's sending-off - I don't think there was any doubt he hit the fella. He deserved to be sent off and he knows that.

"But I thought the penalty was six of one and half a dozen of the other.''