Middlesbrough take on their former manager Steve McClaren as Derby County visit the Riverside this weekend.
Boro are without suspended midfielder Dean Whitehead after collecting his tenth caution of the campaign and winger Mustapha Carayol (cruciate ligament) is undergoing surgery.
Meanwhile, defensive quartet Jonathan Woodgate (calf), Daniel Ayala (ankle), Rhys Williams (Achilles) and Stuart Parnaby (knee) remain on the sidelines, although at least on loan goalkeeper Tomas Mejias (finger) has recovered.
“Tomas has been working with us and is available and showing me he’s very anxious to play again,” head coach Aitor Karanka told Boro’s official website. “I need to think about the keepers because I have all of them fit and ready to play and I’ll have to talk to my goalkeeper coach. It’s a difficult decision for me but one I’m happy to have.”
Highly-rated England Under-21 midfielder Will Hughes could return for the visitors from a hip flexor problem.
Elsewhere, fellow schemer Simon Dawkins once again misses out while forward Jamie Ward (hamstring) is back in training.
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