Middlesbrough boss provides injury updates on key duo ahead of Leeds United clash

Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick has told Teesside Live that they are ‘assessing the severity’ of Hayden Hackney and Dael Fry’s injuries ahead of their clash with Leeds United this weekend.

Middlesbrough overcame Preston North End in midweek with a convincing 4-0 win at the Riverside and will now face an even tougher task when they take on 4th placed Leeds United this weekend.

Going into the game with Preston, Carrick’s side had Tommy Smith, Darragh Lenihan, Hayden Coulson, Lukas Engel, Riley McGree, Lewis O’Brien and Marcus Forss out injured, with key duo Dael Fry and Hayden Hackney also absent despite starting the previous outing at Bristol City.

Boro will now have an eye on this weekend’s clash with Daniel Farke’s Leeds United side, and their mounting injury list looks to be a huge concern for the Teessiders. To make matters worse, they will also be without loanee Sam Greenwood who is ineligible to face his parent club.

“They both felt niggles towards the end of the game on Saturday – Hayden in his groin, Dael his hamstring,” Carrick told Teesside Live.

“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.”

A lot of first-team players are currently out on the treatment table and Carrick will likely be hoping to have them back as soon as possible. The likes of Smith, Lenihan, Engel and McGree would all be in the starting eleven if fit, and will be missed over the coming weeks and months until they return.

Hackney and Fry would also be in the first eleven when available and are two of Boro’s most important players. With a huge game on the horizon against Leeds United, Carrick will want either one or both back in contention, or for Anfernee Dijksteel or Matt Clarke in defence and Daniel Barlaser in midfield to step up to the plate in their absence again, just as they did against Preston North End.