AITOR KARANKA does not want to put a timescale on George Friend’s injury but he is understood to be facing a fight to play for Middlesbrough before Christmas.

Friend missed last Sunday’s defeat to Chelsea at the Stadium of Light with a knee problem picked up training and it was revealed after that fixture the problem is worse than initially thought.

He is expected to miss the next three matches against Leicester, Hull and Southampton but he faces a battle to be fit to face Liverpool on December 14 too.

"I think this week it's just George who is injured,” Karanka indicated at the pre-match press conference at Rockliffe Park today.

"I think it’s three or four weeks but I prefer to not say because I don’t know how long."

Spanish defender Daniel Ayala is available again after restarting training with the first team but he is behind Ben Gibson and Calum Chambers in the pecking order.

Middlesbrough are looking to go to Leicester City on Saturday and collect a win after only beating Bournemouth in the last ten matches.

However, after earning five points from the last four games against Arsenal, Bournemouth, Manchester City and Chelsea, Karanka is satisfied with his team’s progress.

"I’m more pleased with the performances,” said Karanka. “I said the points will arrive. It was difficult to get points the way we were playing before West Ham. Playing in the way we are playing now, for sure we will add points on the table.

“What is key for me, especially when you play top teams, is to get to the last moments of the games with a chance of still drawing or winning the games. We have the experience of conceding three goals in 15 minutes at Everton. Finishing the games, we want to always have a chance."

* Aitor Karanka discusses the form of Alvaro Negredo in Friday's The Northern Echo.