NEIL Warnock has warned Anfernee Djiksteel about the way he looks after himself with the Middlesbrough full-back set to spend weeks out with a hamstring injury.

Djiksteel limped off in Boro's 2-1 defeat to Blackpool a fortnight ago and won't be available for this afternoon's trip to the KCOM Stadium where they face Hull City. 

The 24-year-old has struggled with injury in the past during his time on Teesside. The full-back endured a truncated first season after suffering a knee injury in November 2019 that kept him out until Boro returned to action in the summer months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Last campaign, his season was cut short in March because of an ankle problem. 

This time around, Warnock says he and the coaching staff may have to closely watch how he conducts his preparation for games and intervene if needs be.

The Boro boss said: “He's probably three to four weeks away.

“He’s going to have to work very hard. He’s going to have to work harder than he ever has to build up his muscle so he doesn’t pick these injuries up.

“I’ve had a couple of chats with him now. He’s got to put the milage in now to avoid these sort of injuries and there’s only him can do that.

“I’m more concerned with hamstrings if I’m honest. What he does in the week in training and what he does in his preparation before we start training.

“He’s left a lot to be desired in the past. We’re going to have to go back to school. We’re going to have to watch him do these things if we can’t trust him. Because it’s only going to benefit him us if he’s fit.

“Bola played the other night but we’ve only got Pelts as a full-back and he was supposed to be back up.

“If we’ve got to watch a little bit more of what he does to make sure he’s available then we will do."

Meanwhile, Boro are hopeful that some players in the squad have shaken off knocks from the midweek win over Sheffield United to be available for the trip to Hull City.