Middlesbrough have been dealt yet another blow in the injury department with defenders Dael Fry and Lukas Engel and midfielder Hayden Hackney missing their side’s 4-0 drubbing of Preston North End last night.
It takes the number of missing senior players to eight overall and puts a further strain on the squad ahead of what promises to be a hectic schedule over Christmas and New Year, with Boro facing 4 games in 10 days during a particular period in December.
The severity of the injuries to those three is not yet clear, with Fry and Hackney both feeling ‘niggles’ towards the end of the game against Bristol City. In an interview with the Northern Echo, Michael Carrick admitted he was unsure as to the time frame for their return. He said, “They both felt niggles towards the end of the game on Saturday – Hayden in his groin, Dael his hamstring.
“It was just the last couple of days so we’re still assessing the severity of both at the moment to see where they’re at. It tends to be the way it’s going at the minute.”
Boro face wait on extent of injuries
Carrick also explained that they would have to wait to assess the damage with regards to Lukas Engel’s knee problem that saw him withdrawn towards the end of the encounter with Bristol City, adding, “Lukas is a little different because his was a twist of the knee as his foot got caught in the ground. Because that’s not a muscle we have to see how it settles down over the next few days.”
It means that Boro are now without defenders Darragh Lenihan, Tommy Smith, Dael Fry, and Lukas Engel and midfielders Lewis O’Brien, Hayden Hackney, Riley McGree, and Marcus Forss. All of those on the list can be considered first team players and three of the aforementioned are long term absentees.
In particular, the loss of McGree and now Hackney are significant, purely because of the way Middlesbrough play. Hackney had missed just one Championship game prior to the Preston match, which was an enforced ban after reaching five yellow cards.
Whole squad to play their part
That said, Carrick has always emphasised the importance of the whole squad playing their part and that is certainly the case at the moment. The players selected last night grasped their opportunity and did their cause no harm at all as they ruthlessly scythed through a strangely insipid Preston outfit.
Players like Alex Bangura, Rav van den Berg, (in his favoured position of centre-back) Morgan Rogers and Dan Barlaser all played like they had a point to prove. Boss Carrick will have no doubt been pleased to see that there is a genuine quality to the depth of the squad. You can point to having good options in the group, but the proof is when they have to step in and play football matches and some of the fringe players have shown their worth in recent weeks.
Long awaited return for Clarke
It wasn’t all bad news on the injury front as Matt Clarke made his long awaited return from injury, coming on as a substitute to replace Paddy McNair late on in the Preston win. The crowd gave him a warm reception on what was the left sided centre-back’s first league appearance for over a year.
Desperate to make an impression, there was a spring in his step as he fiercely contested every ball, much to the delight of the cold, but delighted Boro faithful.
Boro now go to Leeds United on Saturday before facing another top team in Ipswich Town a week later. Then they enter a ridiculously packed programme that will see them play another seven games between then and the 1st of January.
The Boro fans, and presumably Michael Carrick will hope to have one or two of their walking wounded back and available for selection over the coming weeks to help combat that run of matches. Riley McGree and Marcus Forss could be closest to a return with the Boro boss saying recently that they were a matter of weeks away.