Middlesbrough manager Jonathan Woodgate has confirmed that five players could be missing through injury when the Teessiders face Barnsley at the Riverside Stadium tomorrow.

Captain George Friend is now out until February after aggravating an issue related to the thigh problem which sidelined him at the start of the season.

Rudy Gestede and Marcus Brown remain on the treatment table with hamstring injuries, while Ryan Shotton continues to struggle with a knee problem that has kept him out of action since the 0-0 draw against Huddersfield in October.

Darren Randolph is also a major doubt to play against the Tykes tomorrow night. The Republic of Ireland international has suffered a recurrence of a thigh injury that led to him missing three games earlier this month.

The absence of five players is compounded by the fact that Boro have both George Saville and Marvin Johnson suspended, after the latter’s sending off against Hull last time out.