AITOR KARANKA has made the bold move to leave out both Stewart Downing and Jordan Rhodes for this afternoon’s mouthwatering promotion showdown with Brighton in the Championship.

The £16m pair are both among the substitutes for arguably Boro’s biggest game in the club’s history at the Riverside. Cristhian Stuani and David Nugent, who both cost around the £8m mark, will face the Seagulls.

The big boost for Middlesbrough is that left-back George Friend has recovered from hamstring trouble to claim his place ahead of on loan defender Ritchie de Laet.

Middlesbrough know a point will be enough to seal a return to the Premier League for the first time in seven years, while Chris Highton’s Brighton are looking for a top-flight spot for first time since 1983.

MIDDLESBROUGH (4-2-3-1): Konstantopoulos; Nsue, Ayala, Gibson, Friend; Clayton, Leadbitter; Adomah, Ramirez, Stuani; Nugent. Subs: Agazzi, Forshaw, Kalas, Downing, De Sart, Rhodes, De Laet.

BRIGHTON (4-4-2): Stockdale; Bruno, Goldson, Greer, Rosenior; Knockaert, Stephens, Kayal, Murphy; Baldock, Hemed. Subs (not used): Maenpaa (GK), Calderon, Bong, Sidwell, Skalak, LuaLua, Wilson.