Middlesbrough targeting Sheffield Wednesday injury boost as Player of the Season ruled out
Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg has shared some mixed news on the injury front ahead of their tussle with Sheffield Wednesday.
Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg has confirmed influential attacker Riley McGree could be available for their clash with Sheffield Wednesday at the Riverside on Wednesday night.
The Australian, who has scored five Championship goals this season, was absent for their 2-2 draw with Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Sunday afternoon due to an injury he had picked up in training 24 hours earlier.
Fortunately for Middlesbrough, who are still in the hunt for automatic promotion with just three games left to play, boss Hellberg does not believe it is a serious issue, meaning the former Birmingham City man could be available for the tussle with Henrik Pedersen’s side.
As quoted by Teesside Live, Hellberg said: “It’s a small knock with Riley, but he couldn’t play this game. It’s one of those things that can happen on the training pitch, a small knock.
“I hope he will be back on Wednesday, that is my hope. If not, it should hopefully be Saturday, it should not be a big thing.”
However, the clash with the Owls will come too soon for Middlesbrough captain and newly crowned Championship Player of the Season Hayden Hackney. The Boro academy graduate has missed each of the last five games with a calf issue and it remains to be seen if he will be able to regain full fitness ahead of the regular season drawing to a close in just under a fortnight’s time.
Hellberg continued: “Hayden is more difficult because it’s really just a case of waiting with him. When it’s done, he can go back out onto the grass and we can go.
“It’s very difficult to get an exact timeframe for it. We will see. Maybe it’s the Wrexham game [the final day fixture], but it’s difficult to know because he hasn’t been able to go out onto the grass yet.”
Elsewhere, issuing an update on January recruit Leo Castledine, who has missed each of the last four matches, Hellberg added: “Leo travelled with us [to Ipswich]. He did his first training session [on Saturday], so it’s now about trying to get him back to the group and involved again.
“We will see if he is ready on Wednesday or Saturday, but it is getting closer for him.
Middlesbrough will welcome the Owls to the Riverside looking to arrest a run of seven games without a victory. They are also winless in each of their last six at home, losing their last two.