MARTIN PAYERO is set to return to Middlesbrough’s starting side at West Brom tomorrow afternoon – and Grant Hall also has a chance of featuring at the Hawthorns.

Payero sat out Tuesday’s defeat at Luton as he was showing signs of fatigue in the wake of last weekend’s loss to Birmingham, but he was back on the training pitch yesterday and should be available tomorrow as Boro look to wreck West Brom’s unbeaten home record.

His return is a timely one given that fellow central midfielder Matt Crooks is suspended after picking up a fifth booking of the season at Kenilworth Road.

“Martin was on the grass (on Thursday) doing a session with the fitness guy,” said Boro boss Neil Warnock. “I think it was just fatigue with him really. I think we got a bit lost in translation.

"I asked him if he wanted to be rested on the Sunday when we were in because he looked shattered, but on his translator thing, he showed me that he wants to play every game. I had it in my mind that he was playing, but then on Monday morning, he could barely walk when he came in. He was like an old man.

“I was planning to play him, but he couldn’t even run on the Monday. He’s finding it a bit physically challenging, and I think he’ll be looking forward to these two weeks (international break).”

Hall has been sidelined since the middle of September with a muscular injury, but the centre-half has also been back on the training ground this week working with Boro’s fitness team.

Warnock had initially assumed he would be unavailable until the end of the international break, but with Dael Fry and Marc Bola both still on the long-term absentee list, and with Boro having conceded three extremely soft goals at Luton, he is keen to see if there is any chance of Hall being involved at West Brom.

“Grant was on the grass having a jog with one of the physios,” he said. “I’ve not spoken to him yet, but I’ll be having a chat. He’s been stepping up his training for a bit now. He’ll be available for after the window, but we’ll have to see exactly where he’s at because we’ve got one or two other niggles.”

Crooks’ absence will be a blow, with the summer signing from Rotherham having started every one of Boro’s league matches this season. He was walking a disciplinary tightrope heading into the Luton game, and Warnock was disappointed at his failure to make it to the international break without picking up another yellow card.

“I said to him three weeks ago, ‘You’ve got to get through to the international break because the teams we’re playing are all very strong and physical, and we need your help’," he said. "I feel disappointed that he’s let me down on that, if I’m honest, but there’s nothing we can do about that now.”

Middlesbrough (probable, 3-5-2): Daniels; Dijksteel, Bamba, McNair; Jones, Tavernier, Howson, Payero, Hernandez; Sporar, Coburn.