MIDDLESBROUGH will be without Riley McGree for Saturday's trip to Cardiff City but Jonny Howson could be in contention to return in the Welsh capital.

Rav van den Berg remains a doubt as things stand, with Michael Carrick saying it's "touch and go" as to whether the centre-half will be available.

Carrick has also opened up on the injury issues that are keeping defensive duo Darragh Lenihan and Dael Fry out of action.

The pair both endured frustrating long spells on the sidelines last season but recovered from those injuries and returned to training during the summer. But the centre-halves have both since picked up fresh injuries, with Lenihan battling achilles tendinitis and Fry nursing a calf problem.

Carrick hopes to get the pair back in contention "as soon as we can" after the international break but at this stage it's not clear when they might be expected to return. Tommy Smith and Marcus Forss remain sidelined.

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Carrick faces a defensive dilemma ahead of Saturday's Cardiff game. If van den Berg again misses out, the Boro boss could opt to again start Luke Ayling at centre-half alongside Matt Clarke, with Anfernee Dijksteel at right-back. But Carrick says Howson is itching to return and if the captain is deemed fit to play, he's an option at centre-back.

Further forward, with McGree again out missing, Carrick must decide whether to stick with Delano Burgzorg on the left and Finn Azaz at No.10 or bring Tommy Conway in for his first start. The fact the summer signing wasn't included in the starting XI against Stoke in the Carabao Cup in midweek was a strong indication he could be in from the off at Cardiff.

Updating on the injury situation, Carrick said: "Riley has been a little bit slower than we'd hoped so he won't be ready for this week.

"Jonny is pushing me like crazy but we'll have to make a decision there. Rav we'll have to see tomorrow, that's a bit touch and go.

"Darragh and Dael are a bit further and Marcus and Tommy are a bit further as we know."

Carrick added: "On Dael and Darragh, they've both been out for a long period of time. They came back and trained around the group in pre-season but both picked up small injuries we have to manage and be patient with.

"Dael has had a bit of a calf problem he's coming back from and Darragh has had tendinitis in and around his achilles.

"Thankfully it's not the issues they were out with before but it has stopped them from coming back as quickly as they would have liked and we would have liked. After the international break we'll try to get them back in and around it as soon as we can."