MIDDLESBROUGH will closely monitor Matt Crooks over the coming days after the forward was forced off injured in the late stages of the Carabao Cup victory over Bolton.

Crooks scored Boro's crucial first half equaliser at the Toughsheet Community Stadium but injured his knee 12 minutes from time and was replaced by Morgan Rogers, who opened his account for the club in stoppage time after Riley McGree had struck moments earlier.

Boro will now closely assess Crooks, with Michael Carrick hoping the injury isn't serious.

“He tweaked his knee," said the head coach.

"He got up initially but then felt it again a moment later so we brought him off. I’m hopeful it’s not too bad but at the minute he’s getting treatment and has an ice pack on, so we’ll have to see."

Carrick also confirmed that Hayden Coulson was absent from the squad at Bolton and West Brom because of injury.

He said: "He's had a bad thigh for a couple of weeks, just a bit of knock."

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Carrick was delighted for Rogers after his goalscoring contribution from the bench at Bolton.

He said: “We hope it will do him the world of good. He’s done really well Morgan and he’s deserved more but it just hasn’t quite dropped for him.

"He had the opportunity just before the goal where it ended up over the bar and you wonder again if it’s going to come. But he did end up getting his goal which he took so well after a great pass from Riley. You take loads from scoring goals and hopefully he thrives from that."