Matt Clarke Middlesbrough reunion in doubt as Derby County potentially without seven key players
Matt Clarke’s Middlesbrough reunion is in doubt after the defender picked up what looked like a potential hamstring injury at the weekend, with struggling Derby County potentially without seven key players at the Riverside.
Former Boro loanee John Eustace has lost both of his two games in charge of the Rams since his shock decision to leave play-off-chasing Blackburn Rovers earlier this month. They head to Boro on Saturday in desperate need of a result after Hull City’s shock win over Sunderland on Saturday left Derby four points adrift of safety.
Boro head into the game off the back of getting back to winning ways on Tuesday evening against Stoke City. However, as well as being afflicted by an illness going through the group, Boro have a bit of a defensive injury crisis, with Rav van den Berg missing the Stoke trip with a knee injury, and George Edmundson then going off with an ankle problem. But Derby have injury problems of their own, with Clarke’s withdrawal on Saturday also adding to seeing influential Crystal Palace loanee David Ozoh being stretchered off.
Speaking after the Millwall defeat at the hands of a late Josh Coburn goal, Eustace told our sister site Derbyshire Live: “David has a muscle injury in his thigh so we will have to assess that and see how he is. Clarkey came off and I don’t know whether it is cramp or a slight strain. We will have to assess that and have a look.”
As well as doubts over Ozoh and Clarke, Derby are also currently without Nat Phillips, Curtis Nelson (knee), Dajaune Brown (hamstring), Corey Blackett-Taylor (hamstring) and Kane Wilson (hamstring). It’s far from ideal for the relegation-threatened Rams.
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