Boro take on Premier League opposition at the Riverside, but unlike some other managers, who will use the FA Cup as a chance to change their entire starting XI, Pulis will not be ripping up the side that won at QPR in the league last weekend.

In part, that is because he does not want to lose the momentum that was generated in the win at Loftus Road, but it is also because he wants to have a look at couple of fringe players who have limited opportunities in the last month, with the transfer window due to close next Wednesday.

Fabio da Silva, Dael Fry, Adam Clayton, Lewis Baker and Ashley Fletcher have not started games since Tony Pulis took over on Boxing Day, and two members of the quintet are set to line up tomorrow.

Pulis said: “I’ll make a few changes, but they won’t be wholesale changes. One or two players need to be given an opportunity and a chance to play, and they haven’t had that yet with me. So one or two will start that haven’t started so far.

“We’ve got one or two little knocks and niggles, but we’ll decide today whether they’re fit enough to have a go tomorrow. I’m keen to play a strong team. There’ll be one or two changes, but not as many as maybe other teams.

“I want to keep the momentum going if we can. We’ve had a great result at QPR last Saturday, and I think it’s important to try to build on that. We’re playing against a Premier League team, so obviously they’ll be favourites to win the game. But it’s a good game for us to get out there and just enjoy it.”

Connor Roberts and Adam Forshaw have left Boro since Pulis replaced Garry Monk, and there is still a desire to see another two or three players depart ahead of next week’s transfer deadline.

Bordeaux have expressed an interest in Martin Braithwaite, but Boro have rebuffed the Ligue 1 club’s initial interest in a loan deal. Similarly, there is no chance of Clayton or Fletcher leaving on a temporary basis this month.

Pulis remains keen to bring in a couple of signings of his own ahead of Wednesday night’s deadline, but the former Stoke and West Brom boss has once again confirmed he will not be making any permanent additions this month.

He said: “We’ll see what happens over the next three or four days. If we can add one or two, they’ll be loans. We won’t be spending any money. If people leave, then they leave. We’ll make a decision based on how strong we are if those players leave the football club.

“There’s money there. The chairman has told me there’s money there if I want to spend it. I’ve been in the job for three or four weeks now, but you need three or four months at a football club to actually get to grips with it.

"I don’t want to throw caution to the wind. I want to be pretty sensible if I can with what we try to do, both on and off the pitch. Then at the end of the season, I can go and have a good chat with Steve.”