With Rudy Gestede having returned from a hamstring injury against Birmingham City on Friday night, it means Middlesbrough now have just two players on the treatment table.

Hayden Coulson has been out of action with a thigh injury since the middle of August. He had started the first two games of the season against Luton Town and Brentford before being sidelined but manager Jonathan Woodgate has confirmed the 21-year-old is close to making his comeback:

“Hayden will be back after the international break hopefully.”

The other injury absentee is George Friend. The captain has only played two games since April due to an adductor injury. It was thought initially that he could recover without requiring surgery but it was eventually decided that he needed to go under the knife. Woodgate believes that the 31-year-old could be back to full fitness in the middle of November:

“George will be four or five weeks. It will be good to get them both back, the more the better.”

In their absence, both Marc Bola and Ryan Shotton have been covering at left-back, but Middlesbrough fans will be delighted that both players are on the mend.