GEORGE Boateng has promised to wipe the smile off the West Bromwich Albion squad's faces when Middlesbrough travel to the Hawthorns for this evening's FA Cup fifth-round replay.

Like the rest of his Boro team-mates, Boateng was disappointed with the celebratory scenes that accompanied the 2-2 draw between the sides at the Riverside on February 17.

Albion's players cavorted in front of their supporters at the final whistle, before centre-half Curtis Davies led a stampede to claim that the tie was as good as won ahead of a return trip to the Black Country.

Such unconcealed confidence has not gone down well on Teesside, with the Boro squad unhappy that their own cup pedigree has been entirely overlooked.

So when Boateng leads his team-mates into action this evening, he has warned his opponents to expect a rude awakening.

"From hearing some of their comments after the match I got the feeling they believed they had already won the replay," said the Boro skipper. "They were pointing to the strength of their recent record and how they had home advantage.

"I don't think this game is a foregone conclusion, however. We have far more experience in our side when it comes to cup competitions.

"We can get through that nail-hole when things are really tight and tough.

"Just think back to last season and our UEFA Cup matches against Roma, Stuttgart, Basel and (Steaua) Bucharest, venues that are very intimidating but where we came away with results. Believe me, this tie is far from over."

Albion's confidence stems from an impressive run of form that has taken them to the top of the Championship table.

Saturday's 1-1 draw at Leicester made it just one defeat in the last 18 matches for Tony Mowbray's men, while Norwich and Arsenal are the only clubs to have left the Hawthorns with a victory this season.

Middlesbrough claimed a 2-0 win at the ground last February as the Baggies tumbled out of the top-flight under the tutelage of former Boro boss Bryan Robson.

But with Mowbray having turned things around dramatically since taking over the reins in October, Gareth Southgate has admitted that tonight's game represents a far stiffer test.

"I think they're stronger than they were last season," said the Boro manager.

"I don't think they've lost too many players from that squad, and now they have confidence as well.

"When you're at the bottom of the table and you're short of confidence, you look a lesser side than you probably are.

"Going there now is a harder task than when we went there in the league last year.

"Generally, if you bring any team back for a cup replay, you feel that you've got the advantage, but I would say it's fairly even.

"We're a Premier League team, but they're right at the top of the Championship so, in many respects, it's probably a tougher game than going to a mid-table Premiership team who aren't doing very well. They have home advantage as well, so it's a pretty tight call."

This evening's replay would not have been necessary had Diomansy Kamara not inspired the Baggies to peg their opponents back on two separate occasions in the original tie.

Weekend reports linked Boro with a possible summer bid for Kamara's services - something that Southgate was quick to laugh off yesterday - and a tally of 19 goals in 25 Championship appearances underlines the potency of the Senegal international's threat.

Kamara's pace and direct running proved difficult for the Boro defence to handle ten days ago but, in the in-form Jonathan Woodgate, expected to feature tonight despite turning out against Reading at the weekend, Southgate feels his side possess the perfect player to nullify the African's threat.

"We're fortunate that, in Jonathan and Manny (Emanuel Pogatetz), we possess defenders with pace," said the boss, who also revealed that long-term injury victim Robert Huth is expected to feature in next week's reserves game against Liverpool.

"Perhaps we didn't have that last year. It's something that we've been able to rectify and it means that you can defend a little bit higher up the field.

"Defending is a skill and, as well as possessing pace, Jonathan has the ability to time a challenge a perfectly. He only goes to ground when he really has to and his reading of the game is fantastic."

Abel Xavier will return to the starting line-up if he passes a fitness test on his injured back. The former Portugal international missed Saturday's 2-1 win over Reading.