Leeds United's Championship promotion rivals Middlesbrough suffer major double injury blow
Leeds United's Championship promotion rivals Middlesbrough have picked up injuries to important players during the international break.
Boro's Hayden Hackney (England U21) is a doubt to face Oxford United this weekend as Michael Carrick confirmed the Three Lions youngster returned from international duty with an ankle injury and is still to undergo an assessment.
United States midfielder Aidan Morris will definitely miss out and is not due to report back until after the Oxford game next Monday after twisting his knee playing for the US Men's National Team against Jamaica.
Hackney and Morris have been mainstays of Carrick's side this season, starting alongside each other in 14 of Boro's 15 matches. The duo, who both operate in central midfield, will need to be replaced by the Teessiders in the same way Leeds were made to do without Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev, who injured themselves days apart earlier this season.
Both injured men operate in the double pivot behind Carrick's attacking quartet, leaving Boro short-staffed for that particular area of the pitch. While Leeds were able to deploy Ao Tanaka and Joe Rothwell at short notice, Carrick's squad may not be as well-equipped or prepared for such an eventuality if Hackney is ruled out for a number of weeks along with Morris.
Boro are seventh in the Championship table, four places behind Leeds in third, but have registered the most Expected Goals in the division after 15 games. Hackney, meanwhile, has two goals to his name this season.