MICHAEL Carrick faces an anxious wait for Middlesbrough to determine the severity of Jonny Howson's injury - with Ryan Giles also sidelined after picking up a knock in training.

Captain Howson was due to start for Boro in Monday's defeat to Rotherham but pulled up in the warm-up and was replaced in the XI by Paddy McNair.

Howson joins Giles in the treatment room, with the left-back missing at the New York Stadium.

Carrick said: "Giles got a knock in training, so he'd been out for a few days. We'll have to wait and see how he is.

"Jonny got injured in the warm-up, he had a pain in the back of his knee, top of his calf, again we'll have to wait and see."

READ MORE:

It wasn't all bad news on the injury front for Boro at Rotherham, with Riley McGree, Paddy McNair and Tommy Smith all returning to action and coming through the game unscathed.

But Aaron Ramsey and Dael Fry remain sidelined. Ramsey, who hasn't featured since being forced off in the victory over Norwich, was pictured back at Aston Villa's training ground over the weekend.

Carrick said: "He's getting treatment, he's their player."

Asked whether there's any chance of Ramsey returning for the play-offs, Carrick said: "There's always hope. We'll have to wait and see."

On Fry, who hasn't played since mid-March, Carrick said: "Again, we'll wait and see, we're not sure when we'll have him back, I haven't got any more news unfortunately."