Middlesbrough’s Aidan Morris could return from injury before Christmas, according to Carrick

Middlesbrough’s head coach, Michael Carrick, has indicated that midfielder Aidan Morris might be ready to play again prior to Christmas. The 23-year-old sustained a twisted knee injury in mid-November while representing the USA on international duty. Since his summer transfer from MLS team Columbus Crew, Morris had participated in every Championship match for Boro; however, he has been absent from the last five games due to this injury. During his press conference preceding Saturday’s home fixture against Millwall, Carrick stated: “Aidan isn’t training with the group just yet, but he’s progressing well and could be available before Christmas.” Following this weekend, Boro is scheduled to visit Plymouth on December 21, which precedes a sequence of four matches within a 10-day span during the demanding Christmas and New Year period. Carrick described the upcoming match at the Riverside against Millwall as a “tough game,” noting that it will mark the final game for Lions’ head coach Neil Harris. Speaking to BBC Radio Tees, Carrick commented: “We obviously know it’s his last game. He’s done a really good job and they’d been on a really good run.” He further added: “They’ll be wanting to try and bounce back for their own season, so I fully expect a really challenging game – an intense game and we will have to be at our best to win.” Michael Carrick’s pre-match press conference is available for listening on BBC Sounds.