HARLEY Hunt is just returning from a spell on the sidelines with injury so the summer signing isn't an option for Michael Carrick against Derby tomorrow as Middlesbrough's boss deals with a potential defensive shortage.
Rav van den Berg and George Edmundson both suffered injuries earlier this week, leaving Dael Fry as the only fit senior centre-half on the club's books.
Carrick yesterday revealed that van den Berg and Edmundson's injuries are only minor and the pair are both in with a chance of being fit to feature tomorrow.
But Boro's boss won't want to take any risks, and Luke Ayling will deputise at centre-half alongside Fry if both van den Berg and Edmundson miss out. Ayling replaced Edmundson in the second half at Stoke in midweek and played well.
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Hunt joined in the summer from Swindon Town, with Boro beating Premier League clubs, including Aston Villa, to the capture of the highly-rated teenager.
The 17-year-old then made his first team debut in the Carabao Cup defeat to Stoke and was named on the bench for seven successive Championship games early in the campaign.
But Hunt has had an injury of his own recently and has only just resumed fitness, so won't be considered for the visit of Derby, even if van den Berg and Edmundson miss out.
Carrick said: “Harley’s been out a little while himself actually, he’s had an injury.
"He’s literally just coming back from injury now. It would be too soon at the moment [to put him in] because he’s not fully fit yet. But Harley has been around it earlier in the season and had some big involvements.
"He trained a lot with the group and it’s a natural step for the younger lads if they’re doing well enough to make that step at some point. I definitely wouldn’t write him or any of the younger lads off.”
