MATT Crooks will serve a one match suspension this weekend and will miss Middlesbrough’s trip to West Brom in the Championship.

The 27-year-old picked up his fifth yellow card of the season during Boro’s 3-1 defeat to Luton Town at Kenilworth Road.

The suspension will come as a blow to manager Neil Warnock with Crooks starting every game this season for Boro.

They’re already short on numbers in the squad with the manager battling an injury crisis. Grant Hall, Dael Fry and Marc Bola are still ruled out while Martin Payero wasn’t in the matchday squad at Kenilworth Road because of a calf injury.

The club are also awaiting the results of a scan to Uche Ikpeazu’s leg injury.

“We’ve got another tough game on Saturday against West Brom and now we’ve got no Crooks” Warnock said.

“He’s got booked. That was about the only thing he did tonight.

“What can you say? We’re decimated at the minute.

“And with Crooksy suspended at the weekend as well, it doesn’t look so good.

“But whoever turns up, we’ll have to give them a game somehow.

“We’re hoping we’ll have a couple back at the end of the international break, but I’m not sure at the moment.

“It still doesn’t look to great at the moment.”

Last night’s result saw Boro drop to 14th in the Championship table but they’re currently three points off the play-off places with one game to play before the international break.