MIDDLESBROUGH boss Steve McClaren has urged Ugo Ehiogu to use the final six games of the Premiership season to book his place in the squad for this summer's European Championships - starting with this afternoon's home game against Southampton.

Gareth Southgate's knee injury means his participation in Portugal is in serious doubt and, should the Boro skipper fail to recover in time, Ehiogu will battle it out with Wes Brown, Ledley King and Anthony Gardner for the final spot in Sven-Goran Eriksson's squad.

Ehiogu looked to have no chance of making Euro 2004 when he missed the first four months of the campaign following major knee problems.

But the former Aston Villa centre-half has been back to his very best in recent weeks, with Saturday's eye-catching display against Chelsea serving to underline his international credentials.

"Ugo's got to have a chance of making the squad if he keeps performing like that week in, week out - but that's what he's got to do," said McClaren.

"It's sad for Gareth that he's going to be out for so long, but it was sad that we had to be without Ugo for seven months.

"You sometimes forget just how long he was out for at the start of the season, but he's come back and performed superbly in the last two or three months.

"He can only get better as well because it always takes you a while to get back into your stride when you've been out of action for so long.

"I think he was struggling for a while, but he performed magnificently in the Carling Cup final and I think that gave him his belief and confidence back."

Ehiogu is likely to be partnered by veteran defender Colin Cooper again this afternoon as Boro look to record a fourth successive home win for the first time this season.

The 37-year-old stood in for the injured Chris Riggott at Stamford Bridge as the Teessiders shut out a Chelsea side who had failed to score in just two previous Premiership home games all season.

"I would think Colin will play again against Southampton because Chris looks like he'll still be injured," said McClaren. "We'll assess everything in the run-up to the game but there's not a lot of time for things to clear up.

"We were pleased with how we played at Chelsea, but it'll only be a good point if we beat Southampton. Before the game we would have taken a point because of the injuries we had and the form Chelsea were in.

"But it'll only really count for something if we follow it up by making it four points from the two games."

McClaren is set to persist in his ploy of playing two strikers up front with Brazilian international Juninho employed in the hole behind the front two.

"We've been able to develop our attacking play throughout the season," said the Boro boss. "Despite the injuries, we weren't defensive at Chelsea and we set ourselves up to attack.

"Juninho's got to work very hard to make a success of that position, but he's prepared to do that. He's a creative player, but he does the work as well when we don't have the ball."