MIDDLESBROUGH striker Andraz Sporar will be assessed ahead of their midweek tie against Preston North End after he was forced in yesterday’s 1-1 draw against Millwall.

The Slovenian rolled his ankle and was forced off at the half time interval. He was replaced by teenage striker Josh Coburn.

Sporar took a few heavy knocks against a very physical Lions side and received treatment twice on the field of play.

Boro have had rotten luck this season with injuries and they’ve already played a part in Chris Wilder’s early preparations as Boro boss.

The manager said: "It’s another thing that's gone against us because he’s going to be a really big player for us. We’re really looking forward to working with him.

"It’s difficult as well. People go on about how you've had two weeks. Well, we’ve not really.

“Sporar only came back Thursday, Uche started training again Thursday, Paddy came back Thursday, Siliki came back Friday, and there are a couple of others too.

“Sporar I thought started off great. He rolled Duncan in from the off, so that partnership as a ten and a nine - Sporar technically very good and Duncan very fast - I thought they caused the opposition some big issues. 

“So to lose him is another thing that is out of our control. I don't think it's major. He’s just rolled his ankle. And to be fair to him he wanted to stay on for the period up to half time. 

“But his ankle's all swollen up. So I’ve got to make that decision at half-time.”

Some other notable additions in the squad were Martin Payero and Grant Hall who weren’t in the matchday squad for Wilder’s first game in charge. The pair will also be assessed ahead of the visit of the Lilywhites.

Wilder added: “Martin has got an issue, achilles ankle, so we haven’t been able to have him on the grass.

“Grant Hall has had a little bit of an issue. He came back and played (against West Brom) but has had a hamstring issue so he wasn’t available.

“We need the group to be healthy. We need the group to be strong, healthy, robust because we all that is what the Championship is and we’ll walk into Preston on Tuesday night and it will be similar to today (Millwall).

“You’ll look at the squad and there’ll be not a lot of young kids in that and it will be a balanced group and it will be strong experienced Championship group so we have to go again Tuesday.”