Middlesbrough see key pair join lengthy list of absentees ahead of Leeds United clash

Middlesbrough could be without 11 players when they take on Leeds United next week. Leeds United know nothing less than a win will do when they travel to the Riverside Stadium on Monday night as they strive to keep their hopes of winning automatic promotion alive.

Michael Carrick's side have plenty to play for, too, with a play-off spot still a slight possibility for the Teesside outfit with three games remaining. However, if they are to pick up the three points against Leeds they have to do so without a host of key men.

Of course, given they are on loan from Elland Road, Luke Ayling and Sam Greenwood will be ineligible to take on the Whites. The pair joined Boro at different points of the season but they have been heavily involved under Carrick with Ayling recording five assists since January, while Greenwood has hit the back of the net on five separate occasions.

Both men played last weekend as Boro picked up a point against Ipswich Town, a result that certainly helped the Whites out following their disappointing loss to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday. With Ayling starting that game at Portman Road, Carrick will have to make a change at right-back.

That might be his only enforced change but Leeds will be heartened by the fact that Hayden Hackney, Tom Glover, Dael Fry, Darragh Lenihan, Paddy McNair and Josh Coburn are all rated as doubts. The sextet have all spent time on the sidelines in recent weeks and as of yet, haven't returned from injury.

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They haven't been ruled out for the season, though, meaning they could still have some role to play this season even if Monday's game comes too soon. The same cannot be said for Tommy Smith, Marcus Forss and Riley McGree, though, who are all due to miss the remainder of the campaign through injury.

Middlesbrough do have a large senior squad and Carrick will fancy his chances of being able to cope without the 11 names above, if need be, particularly given that even with such an injury situation, the club have gone nine games unbeaten in the Championship.

Make no mistake, Monday's clash will be a tough one, but Leeds simply must get back to winning ways if they're to claim a spot in the top two come May 4.