Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate has admitted that Saturday's FA Cup fourth-round trip to Mansfield will come too soon for striker Mido.

The 24-year-old played 45 minutes of Tuesday night's 5-0 reserve team home defeat by Newcastle as he continued his recovery from a stress fracture of the pubic bone.

The Egyptian hitman has not played a league game since the 2-0 defeat by Chelsea on October 20, although he will not be rushed back after a series of aborted returns.

Southgate told the Evening Gazette: "It was the next step up from training for Mido and it was good to see him back on the pitch again.

"The plan was always to give him just the 45 minutes. We have to make sure that there is no reaction, and then we will decide what the next step will be.

"He needs training and he needs football. I can't say at this stage when he will be back in the first team squad because he is being assessed day to day at the moment.

"Whenever he does return, he will give us a lift, but it has to be the right time. We have to bring him back at the right speed."

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