MICHAEL Carrick has named a strong Middlesbrough side for the final pre-season friendly of the summer against Auxerre, in what looks to be a strong hint as to what the team will be for next week's Championship opener against Millwall.

Paddy McNair again looks set to start at right-back in the absence of Tommy Smith and Anfernee Dijksteel, with Dael Fry, Darragh Lenihan and Hayden Coulson completing the back line. Seny Dieng starts in goal.

Hayden Hackney will partner Dan Barlaser in midfield, with Marcus Forss, Matt Crooks and Riley McGree playing off Morgan Rogers.

Chuba Akpom, Jonny Howson and Josh Coburn are all again absent, with all three players now looking extremely unlikely to be available for next week's visit of Millwall in the Championship.

Martin Payero, Sammy Silvera, Isaiah Jones, Alex Gilbert and Rav van den Berg are among the substitutes.

Boro: Dieng, McNair, Fry, Lenihan, Coulson; Hackney, Barlaser; Forss, Crooks, McGree, Rogers

Substitutes: Glover, Bilongo, van den Berg, Jones, Agyemang, Hoppe, Gilbert, Payero, Cartwright, Silvera, Nkrumah, Jones

Auxerre: Leon, Agouzoul, Akpa, Da Costa, Hein, Joly, Mensah, Owusu, Perrin, Raveloson, Sinayoko

Substitutes: Kiala, Camara, Danois, De Percin, Mercier, N'Gatta, Pellenard