MICHAEL Carrick says Middlesbrough are still waiting to discover the full extent of Rav van den Berg's injury after the defender twisted his knee in training this week.

But while van den Berg looks set to face a spell on the sidelines, Ben Doak could be in contention to return at QPR on Tuesday night.

Both players - key for Carrick's side - were missing on Saturday as 10-man Boro went down 3-0 to Coventry City at the Riverside.

Carrick said: “Rav felt his knee in training after twisting it. We’re not sure on that one yet, we’ll have to wait and see.

"Ben is a bit of fatigue that has been building up really after playing a lot football after a couple of months out.

"That leads to a bit of tightness in the hamstring, but nothing major. Hopefully it’ll be a matter of days, but it’s not serious by any stretch."

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Hayden Hackney picked up two early yellow cards for Boro at the Riverside, leading to his 22nd minute dismissal. He was first cautioned for a foul on Josh Eccles before lunging into a challenge on Brandon Thomas-Asante soon after.

Carrick said: “I’ve not watched it back. It is what it is and there’s no point really. The referee has given it. I’m not sure either way, but there’s not much to say on it.

"He’s disappointed, for sure. It is what it is. Listen, I don’t want to sit here and talk about the decisions of the referee when we can be better."

Carrick said he was proud of the way his players responded to the red card but frustrated with the way Boro had started prior to the dismissal.

He said: “It was the start and the end that cost us really. I thought we dealt with going down to 10 men pretty well, to be honest, for the most part.

"We didn’t start particularly well, were a little bit edgy and didn’t really settle into the game. We still had the first two opportunities with Hayden and Riley having a couple of decent chances early on, but we didn’t particularly start well and then go down to 10.

"I thought we dealt well with a lot of what they threw at us after the red, but the two goals are pretty straightforward goals that aren’t down to being a man down, it’s just two goals that we should do better with.

"As the game was going, we looked in a decent place and looking like we could get back into the game, we give away a really simple goal. In the end, that makes a difference."

Asked why he felt Boro started so sluggishly, Carrick said: “We just didn’t quite find our level - it wasn’t quite there. It wasn’t work-rate or attitude as such, we just weren’t at it and didn’t settle into the game.

"Having said that, we still have the first two good chances in the game on the break. But, if anything, I thought we were better in the game after we went down to 10 men.

"It kind of forced us to settle down and play a bit. In the end, the second goal is the one that kills us. The end of the game is the end of the game; it can happen. It’s more what led up to that really, which frustrates me and we’ll have to focus on."