MIDDLESBROUGH boss Steve McClaren is ready to adapt a new approach in an attempt to ensure Premiership form does not suffer from European exhaustion.

Boro embark on their second UEFA Cup run on Thursday when Greek side FC Xanthi arrive at the Riverside Stadium before travelling to Wigan on Sunday for a domestic game.

McClaren and his squad are all too familiar with the strains of a hectic fixture schedule and know from past experience things will have to improve.

Boro failed to win any of their seven league games on a Sunday that followed Thursday UEFA cup ties last season and injuries took their toll - at one stage they had more than a full team on the sidelines.

But, having drafted Abel Xavier and Fabio Rochemback to his squad before the closure of the transfer window, McClaren is convinced he has a squad strong enough to cope with an adventure across the continent.

But the Boro boss insists performing well in the UEFA Cup will not take precedence over achieving goals in the English top-flight.

"We have to approach it differently," he said. "Our priority is the Premiership.

"We learnt a lot of lessons from that last year but we have said we want to qualify for the group stages and we will take it one step at a time. It's too early to start thinking about winning it."

Boro's latest teenage local hero, Adam Johnson, could be thrust into the spotlight again on Thursday having had such a positive impact on his first start for the club.

Johnson, 18, is the only recognised left-winger available to McClaren with Stewart Downing ruled out for up to three months after a knee operation.

The Redcar-born youngster - who first appeared in Boro's first team as a substitute in last season's UEFA Cup's clash at Sporting Lisbon - made a confident bow in Saturday's win over Arsenal.

Johnson has followed Downing, James Morrison, Tony McMahon, Matthew Bates and David Wheater onto the first team coach as graduates from the Academy and McClaren would not have it any other way.

"We asked Johnson to play like that against Arsenal on his debut and that is what the club and I are all about," said McClaren. "We will put them in, ask them to sink or swim and another has swum. It bodes well for the future."

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