NEIL Warnock is set to ring a number of changes in for Boro’s EFL Cup first round tie against Blackpool this evening with Argentine Martin Payero making his debut at Bloomfield Road.

Boro go into the game fresh off the back of a hard-fought draw with Fulham at the weekend but they are thin on the ground in terms of able bodies. Boro may be forced to field a number of youngsters while handing the likes of Payero a debut.

While Marc Bola was the hero at the weekend scoring the equalising goal, he’s short of match fitness after recovering from a hernia problem over the summer. Their other option at left-back, Hayden Coulson, has recently sealed a loan move to Ipswich Town.

While Warnock is eyeing up a place in the second round, he says he can't afford to have his top talent injured for their important Championship games. 

“You look at your squad, we’ve got a small squad at the moment, and we need players coming in and we’ve got certain players we can’t do without so I can’t risk players we can’t do without.

“Then there’s players who are going to have to play because of the numbers we’ve got so it’s just a matter of finding a system. Martin Payero will play so it will be nice to see him have a game. I think he was a bit surprised at the physicality and the quickness of the game in the Championship last Sunday but he enjoyed it.

“They’ve had to, you saw on Sunday when Isaiah (Jones) came on. We haven’t got much choice really I think everybody knows that the players who had injuries last year, we’ve got to be so careful with them so it’s just a matter of taking a strong a team as we can over there and making a fist of it.

“I think the manager’s (Neil Critchley) done a great job. I watched them beat Sunderland last year up at Sunderland and I thought they were outstanding that day. Really good team and I thought they might win the play-offs if I’m honest so it doesn’t surprise me at all. Like I say I’ve always enjoyed going to Blackpool.

"Like the first game of the season when we got promoted at Huddersfield so I’ve got some good memories there so we’ll go and give it our best shot. It’s nice to go play one or two of the lads without the pressure of points at stake.

Boro could also hand a debut to goalkeeper Luke Daniels who signed a two-year contract after being released by Brentford over the summer.

While Daniels was part of the side that were promoted to the Premier League but the 33-year-old only managed to make 17 appearances in four years at the club.

“I’ve been asking him (Luke Daniels) to hang on for three or four weeks now. I’ve always liked Luke. I played well against us in the cup down there and I just think he’s somebody who’s always been a little bit underrated and he’s had a some good keepers just above him so I just felt it was great to give some competition with Joe (Lumley). Two players that have seen it all and done it all in the Championship so I’m really pleased about it.”