MICHAEL CARRICK has received a triple injury boost ahead of Middlesbrough’s Friday-night meeting with Burnley, with Seny Dieng, Rav van den Berg and Riley McGree all back in full training.
Aidan Morris remains unavailable for the trip to Turf Moor as he continues his recovery from a knee injury, but Dieng, van den Berg and McGree are all in contention for a place in the starting line-up at Turf Moor.
Dieng has missed the last three games through illness, and with his deputy, Sol Brynn, having impressed in his absence, Carrick faces a tough decision over the identity of his starting goalkeeper on Friday.
Van den Berg will hope to go straight back into the starting side after completing his recovery from a knee injury, but McGree will have to dislodge the in-form Delano Burgzorg from Carrick’s line-up if he is to return against Burnley.
“Seny’s trained for a few days, so he’s back feeling fit and well, which is good,” said Carrick. “Sol’s done really well though. That’s the nature of illness or injury, or whatever it may be. The squad’s the squad, and everyone’s ready to play exactly for that type of reason.
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“Rav’s back on the grass, in and around things and training, but Aidan’s still a little bit further away. Riley’s another one who’s been in and around it on the grass, so we’ll just have to see how he goes. H (Hayden Hackney) came through the weekend game okay, so that was pleasing.”
Morris suffered a knee injury while on international duty with the United States, but while the midfielder will miss both Friday’s game and next week’s trip to Leeds United, his problem is not as severe as some knee issues can prove.
“Aidan’s back on the grass,” said Carrick. “But with the nature of the injury with his knee, straight-line running is really okay but it’s the twisting and turning we’re having to be careful with, and the kicking in terms of side-footing.
“There are little stages he still has to progress through, but he’s back on the grass, which is a positive even if he’s not actually back with us training yet.”
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