Oscar Garcia last night vowed to take no risks with the fitness of his 12-goal leading scorer.

But he is confident Leo Ulloa will be back to crack one of the more stubborn defences in the Championship.

Ulloa reports for training today after missing Tuesday’s wasteful 1-0 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday due to a virus.

Dale Stephens and Inigo Calderon are also expected to return to contention after illness.

The Seagulls’ play-off chasing squad rested yesterday ahead of Middlesbrough’s visit to the Amex tomorrow.

Head coach Oscar said: “Leo has now had three days to recover. He had a sort of virus. He was being sick and had a temperature.

“We have to see how he is because we have nine games to go and we don’t intend to take any risks with him.

“We need to make sure he doesn’t have any muscular problem from being ill and dehydrated. We will see.”

Oscar insists Craig Mackail-Smith and Will Hoskins are not yet ready to ease the load up front as they return from long-term injuries.

He added: “Hoskins trained apart from squad on Wednesday and Mackail-Smith did a bit of work us but not all the session.

“It’s difficult. Macca still hasn’t played 90 minutes in a match with the development squad, just 70 minutes.”

Middlesbrough are conceding an average of less than one goal per game in their four months under head coach Aitor Karanka, despite leaking five in their last two outings.

Oscar admits his men might need to be patient to break them down.

He warned: “They are a team who have don’t usually concede goals, who are very organised and have fast players up front to hit you on the counter-attack.”

Andrea Orlandi (thigh) is again likely to be missing.

Albion’s final home game of the regular season, versus Yeovil, has been brought forward a day to Friday, April 25 (7.45pm) due to live screening on Sky Sports.