A FURIOUS Aitor Karanka admitted he was “hurt” by the performance of his Middlesbrough players as they crashed out of the EFL Cup at the hands of Championship side Fulham.

Boro exited the League Cup at the second-round stage as Lasse Vigen Christensen’s extra-time winner earned Fulham a 2-1 win and handed the Cottagers a third-round tie against Bristol City.

The Teessiders claimed the lead when David Nugent broke the deadlock in the eighth minute, but their dominance did not last long and Fulham were the better side for long periods of the game.

To make matters worse, George Friend and Fabio da Silva both picked up injuries that make them a serious doubt for Sunday’s Premier League game at West Brom.

“I feel hurt by the result, the performance and the injuries,” said Karanka. “It has been the kind of day where it is better to stay at home.

"We lost, but we can’t forget that we have started the season well and are in the Premier League. But I am disappointed because I know how important this trophy is for the club.

“I prefer to not say very much because if I say what I want to today, tomorrow I will regret it. I would rather not say anything, think, and then watch the game again just in case I am wrong.

“I have learned a lot of things from this performance – things I thought I had been able to forget about from the past.

"Especially with the start in the Premier League, I thought I could forget those things, but I have to learn, and the thoughts are more or less the same as I had last season in these sorts of games.”

As if crashing out of the EFL Cup was not bad enough, Boro now find themselves potentially without a recognised left-back as they prepare for their weekend trip to the Hawthorns.

Fabio damaged his knee while delivering the cross that led to Nugent’s goal, and will definitely not be involved against West Brom.

Friend was having an initial check on Wednesday night, but was in clear discomfort as he felt his ankle towards the end of normal time.

He briefly returned to the field, but was unable to continue, and while he was able to walk out of Craven Cottage unaided, he has to be a major doubt for a game in three days’ time.

Boro finished last night’s game with Alex Baptiste playing at left-back, although Antonio Barragan could also deputise in the role.

“Fabio has hurt his knee,” confirmed Karanka. “I don’t know how long he will be out for, but he will not be available for the weekend. I am waiting for the doctor to know how George is.

“Fabio was on the pitch for five or ten minutes, and was better injured than the rest of the players were for 120 minutes.

"It is a real shame for him because he came here to help us, and then in the first game where he could play and show us what he can do, he was forced off.

"He got the assist to help us score, so it is a shame for him and we just have to make sure we get him well soon.”

The injuries restricted Karanka’s ability to make tactical changes, with the Spaniard admitting he would have hauled off up to half-a-dozen players if he had been able to, such was the paucity of their performance.

“I told them at half-time they were lucky because I only had two substitutions I could make,” he said. “I would like to have changed six or seven players instead. The first injury was difficult, and George’s substitution made it even more difficult because I couldn’t do the things I wanted to.”

Karanka once again refused to discuss Jordan Rhodes’ future, with the Scottish striker remaining on the bench as an unused substitute amid mounting interest from Sheffield Wednesday and Norwich City.