Southgate wants a 35,000 capacity crowd for United's visit

Less than 18,000 Boro fans turned up at the Riverside for a televised FA Cup tie with United five years ago.

Southgate said a near-full house would aid his side and he told the Football Association's website: "The bigger the crowd the better the opportunity.

"But with it being a live TV game, it can impact on the size of the crowd."

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Southgate said the match would be an even bigger occasion than a normal FA Cup quarter-final, as he was a huge United fan as a boy after his family moved north to Bury.

He added: "Bryan Robson was my hero, and also Steve Coppell, because they were playing for Manchester United when I was young."