AIDAN MORRIS will not return to Teesside until the start of next week, with the Middlesbrough midfielder having suffered a knee injury that will keep him out of action for a “number of weeks”.

But while Hayden Hackney was also forced out of international action with England Under-21s because of an ankle issue, his injury is not as severe.

Morris’ long-term absence is a major blow, with the summer signing from MLS side Columbus Crew having made a major impact in his first three months as a Boro player.

The American suffered a knee sprain in training with the US national side, and has remained in his homeland to complete a series of assessments as he faces up to an injury absence that is expected to stretch into the new year.

Hackney has been at Rockliffe Park receiving treatment on his ankle, and while he is a major doubt for Saturday’s game at Oxford United, it is hoped his problem will not keep him on the sidelines for too long.

“H (Hackney) had an ankle issue and we’re still assessing him,” said Boro head coach Michael Carrick. “He’s not long been back, so we’ll see how that goes.

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“Aidan Morris twisted his knee last week and he’s going to out for a number of weeks. He’s not back with us until Monday because he’s getting some extra treatment over there and it allows him to take a deep breath really.

“He’s back here Monday, but he’ll be out for a little bit longer. Other than that, pretty much everyone has come back in good shape.”

Morris joined Boro having come straight off the back of a full season in the MLS, with his international obligations meaning he has effectively been playing non-stop football for more than 18 months.

Carrick does not feel the 23-year-old’s workload was a contributory factor to his latest knee issue, but while he concedes Morris will be missed, he also feels his enforced break could be something of a blessing in disguise.

“It’s a blow,” he said. “It’s disappointing, but it’s part of the game ultimately and hopefully he won’t be too long.

“At some point, we were looking to give him a break anyway, so if anything, this may be the break he needed, albeit unfortunate in the way that it’s come about.

“He’ll come back strong and fit and fresh, and hopefully it won’t be too long, but definitely it’s not the way we wanted it to happen, but that’s part of football.

Losing both of his first-choice central midfielders in the same international break is a major blow for Carrick, with both Morris and Hackney having started all bar one league game this season.

Jonny Howson and Dan Barlaser are set to partner each other at the heart of midfield at the Kassam Stadium on Saturday, with Carrick confident his squad can cope with the loss of two hugely influential midfielders.

“Listen, we don’t want injuries, and we do everything we can to prevent them,” he said. “Some you can’t though - a twist or a tackle, that’s one of those things that’s unfortunate and happens in the game.

“But we have the squad and that’s why we’ve tried to assemble that to get us through the whole season. There are going to be times when players stay fit and play a good batch (of matches), but also times when that changes. That’s why we’ve got the quality, and we feel we have players who can step in and do fantastic as well.”