Mowbray banking on young strikers Middlesbrough boss Tony Mowbray will have to rely on his young strikers as his side attempts to bounce back to winning ways against Derby. Mowbray will be without frontmen Marvin Emnes (foot), Ishmael Miller (groin) and Mustapha Carayol (knee surgery), as well as attacking midfielder Adam Reach (ankle), with the Teessiders attempting to make amends for Saturday's 2-1 defeat by Leicester at the Riverside Stadium. That could mean further opportunities for Luke Williams and Emmanuel Ledesma in support of the fit-again Lukas Jutkiewicz. Mowbray has problems at the back too with central defender Jonathan Woodgate's hamstring strain meaning he will miss out. He, Emnes and Reach are expected to make relatively swift returns, unlike defender Rhys Williams (ankle ligaments), striker Curtis Main (knee ligaments) and Carayol, who are all expected to sit out until the New Year. Derby's top scorer Jamie Ward will miss the trip to the Riverside Stadium. The 26-year-old forward had to come off early into the second half of the Rams' 1-0 victory over east midlands rivals Nottingham Forest on Sunday with a hamstring tear. Subsequent scans have revealed Ward suffered a grade one tear which will rule him out of the clash with Boro, and Saturday's home game against Brighton. Manager Nigel Clough is hopeful Ward, who has struck four times this term, will feature against Blackburn towards the end of the month, although it remains a slim possibility. Ward is likely to be the only change to Clough's XI after they kept a clean sheet for the first time this season at the City Ground. Both Michael Jacobs and Theo Robinson will hope to get the nod in Ward's absence.
Source: PA
