Middlesbrough injury update ahead of Leeds United with only one potential return

Middlesbrough could be boosted by the return of Paddy McNair for Monday night's clash with Leeds United, but he is the only player in contention to return for a game that will once again see Boro's squad stretched.

With Darragh Lenihan not meeting his personal target to get back before the season finishes, he is now confirmed out along with Tommy Smith, Marcus Forss and Riley McGree. With Hayden Hackney, Dael Fry and Josh Coburn still absent for this game also, but being monitored in the hope of still playing again this season, and Luke Ayling and Sam Greenwood ineligible against their parent club, Boro's options will be depleted. Tom Glover will now also miss the rest of the season after the decision was taken to have a small operation on his finger.

Updating on the injury picture, boss Michael Carrick said: "Paddy is back around the group. He's been training this week. Alex [Bangura] is obviously back around the group and has been training for a number of weeks which is really pleasing. But Josh is a bit further off, Dael is a bit further off. That's pretty much where we're at."

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Coburn's issue is one that has proven problematic for the young striker for a number of months now. A small procedure in December had hoped to solve the issue in his pelvis/groin but, save for a brief comeback around the turn of the year, the striker has been absent for almost all of the second half of the season.

On the hope they have now got to the bottom of that though, Carrick said: "Hopefully, it all seems in a good place with Josh. He's back on the grass - not totally with us, but he's back on the grass. At certain times with certain players, you have to look after them a little bit and give them a bit more time. You might take a hit short term but there's a long career ahead for the boys, so it's our responsibility to look after them. We're confident Josh will be in good shape."

Attentions back on Monday, the options could mean that a number of younger players are handed further opportunities to be in the squad for a game which is likely to have little riding on it for Boro. Now eight points off the top six with just nine to play for, Norwich City could make it mathematically impossible for Boro before Monday's game, if they beat Bristol City at home on Saturday.

Asked if he'll be watching that one then, Carrick said: “I won’t be particularly. We’ll be preparing for Monday and doing all we can ahead of that. We’re obviously in training over the weekend and going over the same processes we do in the build-up to any game. We’ll have eyes on it, but it will be more focus on us and how we approach Monday’s game. There’s nothing else we can do."