Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg has explained the absence of Aidan Morris, after his side started the season with a victory. Boro defeated fellow Championship side Wrexham 1-0 in the first round of the Carabao Cup. The only goal of the game came from summer signing Will Lankshear on his competitive debut. However, there was cause for concern at the Riverside, as Morris missed the game through injury.
What happened?
"Aidan being out is not a long-term thing," explained Hellberg. "He will train next week, but there was no chance to play this game. It was not worth the risk to play this game. He's coming back, and of course we know how important he is for us."
Why it matters for Middlesbrough
With a number of key men still sidelined, Hellberg was forced to move various players from their more natural positions. He played full-backs Luke Ayling and Neto Borges in a centre-back pairing, and made multiple more adjustments. The Swedish coach continued: "But it was good in many ways when you get this game where Neto (Borges) also played as a centre-back.
What comes next?
The Boro boss added: "We had a lot of new players, a lot of players maybe having to move around a little bit because we have a lot of players coming back from injury, and a lot of new players coming in. So I'm very pleased that we look the way we want to look in terms of our profile, how we want to look in terms of the game. I think, from my point of view, we controlled it."
Middlesbrough are currently 5th in the Championship, with 80 points from 46 games last season. They have scored 72 goals and conceded 47, with a +25 goal difference. They are 15 points behind leaders Coventry in the title race. Their next fixture is against Birmingham at home on February 20, 2027.
League standing
Middlesbrough's current league standing is 5th in the Championship, with 80 points from 46 games last season. They have scored 72 goals and conceded 47, with a +25 goal difference. They are 15 points behind leaders Coventry in the title race.
