Adam Clayton doubtful for Preston game
Midfielder Adam Clayton is Middlesbrough head coach Aitor Karanka's only fresh doubt ahead of Saturday's Sky Bet Championship clash with Preston.
Clayton emerged from Tuesday night's 3-0 home victory over Huddersfield with a dead leg and has since been undergoing treatment, along with a series of other players who have bumps and bruises, but nothing to threaten their participation at the weekend.
Central defender Daniel Ayala, who returned from a nine-game injury lay-off as a late substitute at QPR last Friday night, did not get off the bench in midweek and is in contention for a place in the starting line-up with Damia Abella (knee) the only long-term absentee.
Boro climbed to within a point of leaders Burnley with a game in hand as a result of successive victories over Hull, QPR and Huddersfield, but third-placed Brighton, who visit the Riverside Stadium on the final day of the campaign, are only a single point adrift having also played a one more match.
Preston trio Tom Clarke, Calum Woods and Jordan Hugill are all doubts for the contest.
Defenders Clarke and Woods came off in the first half of Tuesday's 2-1 loss to Fulham due to head and calf problems respectively, and forward Hugill then followed suit after the break because of an ankle issue.
On-loan winger Adam Reach is unable to play this weekend as the fixture is against his parent club.
Stevie May, Liam Grimshaw (both knee) and Chris Humphrey (shin) remain sidelined.
Source: PAR
