Middlesbrough forward Duncan Watmore is a major doubt to take on Bristol City on Saturday.
The 28-year-old has yet to feature under new head coach Michael Carrick since his appointment 10 days ago, due to a head injury. Watmore was hitting form when he picked up the knock against Huddersfield having scored twice in two matches.
He has missed the two matches of Carrick's tenure which has seen the Championship strugglers lose to Preston before getting back to winning ways away at Hull City during the week.
Watmore has featured 13 times this season, scoring four goals, but Carrick believes Saturday's visit of the Robins will come too soon for him to make his return. Reported by Teeside Live, he said: "We're taking it game by game with him at the minute. He was closer to this one, but to be totally honest, I'm not too sure if Saturday will come a bit too soon for him.
"We're hopeful, but we'll have to see. He got a bang to the head against Huddersfield."
Aside from Watmore, Boro are likely to have a clean bill of health after Matt Crooks returned to the side against Hull. Saturday promises to be an intriguing contest as the Championship's most experienced manager in Nigel Pearson goes up against the most inexperienced with Carrick enjoying his first permanent role as head coach.
Middlesbrough have been the surprise underachievers this season as they currently sit in 19th with five victories in their opening 18 matches. City are just two points and five places above them in a tightly-congested Championship table.
Pearson has fitness issues of his own heading into the game. Rob Atkinson has missed the last two matches with flu and he failed to confirm on Tuesday whether the defender will return for the trip up to the Riverside Stadium.
The City manager said: "A lot of it with Rob is whether he wants to push himself through it, so he’s ill but I don’t know.”
Kal Naismith is likely to remain sidelined with a calf injury while Tomas Kalas is also ruled out. The Czech Republic international could return for the visit of Watford next weekend after Pearson confirmed seven days ago that he was a couple of weeks away.
George Tanner's red card and three-match ban means Timm Klose is likely to come back into the frame although Pearson cast doubt on his involvement because of his lack of form.
When asked whether the Swiss had been close to starting on Tuesday against Sheffield United after recovering from injury, Pearson responded: "No, because he’s been out of form too. We don’t have defenders who are reliable at the moment that’s the problem.”
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