MIDDLESBROUGH currently have a clean bill of health for tomorrow’s trip to Blackpool but the game is under threat with the Seasiders feeling the full effect of injuries and Covid.

Boro have come through the Boxing Day win over Nottingham Forest unscathed and the club are reporting no new Covid cases. However, there will be more testing before the trip to Bloomfield Road and the club will be hopeful of positive news.

“We’re okay, injury-wise” said Wilder.

“The players will have their Covid tests this morning, so it’s the luck of the draw with those.

“Those are our last tests before the Blackpool game so fingers crossed when they come in they don’t have any symptoms and we have a clean bill of health from that round of testing.

“We can do all we can do in terms of the protocols, but sometimes it is down to the luck of the draw, and fingers crossed we will have a clean bill of health going into Blackpool.”

Meanwhile, Blackpool boss Neil Critchley says they are having to cope with the loss of a number of players to injuries and suspensions. There are three to four positive cases of Covid in their squad with further rounds of testing to be completed today and tomorrow. 

The Seasiders boss says they are right on the threshold of required numbers to play the game with around 15-16 players available.

Critchley told the Blackpool Gazette: “We’re looking slightly thin on the ground. We’ve had another positive test on Monday and we’ve got a couple of injuries from the game against Huddersfield.

“Jordan Gabriel is obviously suspended for the next couple of games, so we’re right on the limit.

“We’ve got training today and the players will come in and test again later this morning and then again tomorrow on match day.

“At the moment, we’re okay. But anything more, it would be dangerous territory.

“You saw our squad the other day. We’ve now got players missing from that with Gabriel suspended, Sonny Carey’s injury and our other positive Covid test. So there’s three from that squad missing already.

“We’ve got other knocks and bruises from the Huddersfield game as well, so we’re going to be patched up a little bit. But who knows what can happen in the next 48 hours.”

EFL rules state that clubs must complete games where they have 14 available players from their 25 man squad, including one goalkeeper. 

Football clubs up and down the football pyramid are having to contend with the impact of a surge of the Omicron variant with stringent measures being put in place. Only two Championship games went ahead on Boxing Day, including Boro’s 2-0 win over Forest.

Wilder says they have been following the guidelines but there is a balancing act to be done when it comes to preventing cases in the squad.

“I think it’s a bit of both in terms of responsibility and also fortune” Wilder added.

“We’ve got to have a bit of responsibility. Whether I’m being a bit controversial or not, we cancelled our Christmas Party which was due to be in London because it was the right thing to do and I know certain other teams didn’t.

“We took responsibility but there are certain parts of it where we’re trying to be lucky with it. I think it’s a balance. 

“We’re doing whatever we can do here and historically through the pandemic when it first came upon us, speaking to guys here they’re quite proud here of the record they’ve got and the protocols they put in place guided by the EFL.

“So it doesn’t just come with 100% luck, but that is certainly a part of it. If we can keep that balance then hopefully we can come through that period.”