MARVIN JOHNSON returns to Middlesbrough's starting line-up as one of three changes for this evening's Championship game with Birmingham City.

Johnson, who was a summer signing from Oxford United, will be making his first league start since the end of September.

The winger replaces Marcus Tavernier, who drops out of the team that started Sunday's 2-1 defeat at Leeds United.

Boro boss Garry Monk has made three changes in total, with the other two alterations coming in the full-back positions.

Cyrus Christie returns from suspension to take up his place at right-back, replacing Connor Roberts. Fabio Da Silva is preferred to George Friend on the left-hand side of the back four.

Birmingham City have named former Boro full-backs Emilio Nsue and Jonathan Grounds in their starting line-up, with striker Lukasz Jutkiewicz on the bench.

MIDDLESBROUGH (4-2-3-1): Randolph; Christie, Ayala, Gibson, Fabio; Leadbitter, Howson; Downing, Braithwaite, Johnson; Assombalonga.

Subs: Konstantopoulos (gk), Friend, Fry, Forshaw, Traore, Bamford, Fletcher.

BIRMINGHAM (4-5-1): Kuszczak; Nsue, Dean, Roberts, Grounds; Gallagher, Kieftenbeld, N'Doye, Davis, Jota; Adams.

Subs: Stockdale (gk), Maghoma, Boga, Cotterill, Dacres-Cogley, Morrison, Jutkiewicz.