MIDDLESBROUGH skipper Gareth Southgate was last night undergoing scans on a knee injury that threatens to derail his participation in this summer's European Championships.

The England international went straight to hospital after injuring himself in yesterday's training session at the club's Rockliffe Park training ground.

The results of the scan are not yet known but, while Middlesbrough are hoping they will show no serious damage, they immediately recalled veteran centre-half Colin Cooper from his loan spell at Sunderland.

Cooper was part of the Black Cats squad that travelled to Wimbledon for last night but, with youngster David Murphy having extended his loan spell at Barnsley, Boro have acted to ensure they have adequate cover should Southgate be sidelined for a prolonged period.

Yesterday's events could not have come at a worse time for either Southgate or England boss Sven Goran Eriksson.

The defender has featured in the recent friendlies against both Portugal and Sweden and had been almost certain to be named as one of the four centre-halves for Euro 2004.

But, after problems at the last World Cup with David Beckham and Kieron Dyer, Eriksson is adamant that he will not take anyone to Portugal who has an injury doubt hanging over their heads.

The England boss is due to name his squad for the tournament on May 17 and Southgate will need to prove his fitness before then if he is to be included.

Ironically, yesterday's training session was the 33-year-old's first since he injured his jaw in the second half of last week's 1-0 defeat in Sweden.

It was initially feared that he had suffered a fracture on that occasion but, while X-rays showed no broken bones, Southgate lost weight as he was unable to eat any solid food over the weekend.

His new knee problem is almost certain to rule him out of Boro's weekend trip to Chelsea and next Monday's home game with Southampton at the very least.

Southgate's experience means he will be a considerable loss as Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri fields his strongest attacking line-up in an attempt to overhaul Arsenal at the top of the Premiership.

The former Aston Villa star has been a mainstay of Boro's defence all season but, in his absence last weekend, Chris Riggott and Ugo Ehiogu combined to shut out Bolton in a towering defensive display.

The pair successfuly contained the triple threat of Kevin Davies, Henrik Pedersen and Jay-Jay Okocha, and McClaren is not concerned at the prospect of having to go with them again at Chelsea.

"I thought Chris Riggott and Ugo Ehiogu were outstanding against Bolton," said McClaren. "They didn't give either of their attacking players a sniff really.

"It was good to get a clean sheet after what happened in the Birmingham game and I thought the two played well together as a pair.

"We've got a very important weekend coming up and, obviously, it's going to be important that we defend well."

McClaren used Bolo Zenden as an emergency left-back last weekend and, while the Dutch international impressed in the role, the Boro boss will be pleased by Franck Queudrue's return to fitness.

Queudrue has shaken off an ankle injury and, with Stuart Parnaby also back in training, the Boro boss finds himself with plenty of cover in the full-back positions.

But the club's injury problems do not end with Southgate as striker Joseph-Desire Job has been ruled out for a fortnight after picking up a hamstring strain against Bolton.

"Joseph had a slight hamstring tweak in the game," said McClaren. "But we think we caught it in time before it got any worse."

Meanwhile, coach Mark Proctor has tipped Boro's youngsters to make it to a second successive FA Youth Cup final when they take on Crewe at the Riverside tonight.

Boro's young guns take a 2-0 lead into the second leg of their semi-final after Tom Craddock and Andrew Taylor found the net at Gresty Road last month.

With Aston Villa already having booked their spot in the final, Boro will hope to avenge last year's 2-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester United if they can see off Crewe.

"It's a massive game for us," said Proctor. "We go into it with a two-goal advantage and it would be a superb achievement for the lads to qualify for the final again."

l Admission for tonight's game is £3 for adults and £1 for under-16s or over-65s. Season tickets are not vaild.

l Real Sociedad winger Javier de Pedro wants to play in the Barclaycard Premiership next season, writes DAVID MILLER.

De Pedro is out of contract in the summer after rejecting a new deal at the Spanish club.

The player's agent Francis Martin said yesterday: ''England is his preferred choice, although some teams in Spain are interested in him.

''Javier was offered a take-it or leave-it deal by Sociedad and decided to reject it.

''Since then he has been on the bench, although he is still committed to the club and ready to play.''

De Pedro has been linked with a move to Manchester City, but Francis said: ''We are a bit mystified as to where these reports have come from.

''I have not spoken to anyone there, and neither has Javier. There have been no negotiations with any clubs.

''Southampton did come in with an offer last summer, but that was rejected by Sociedad.'