MIDDLESBROUGH have received a major fitness boost with three key players returning to training this week, as expected, but Michael Carrick now faces a selection decision ahead of the FA Cup third round tie against Aston Villa.

Hayden Hackney, Emmanuel Latte Lath and Matt Crooks have all resumed training this week and are in contention for a place in the squad on Saturday but Carrick must now decide on the trio's involvement, with the first leg of Carabao Cup semi-final against Chelsea coming just three days later.

Hackney has been out since the end of November with a groin problem, while Latte Lath and Crooks both picked up niggles in the cup win at Port Vale.

Carrick said: “The three are back training, but we have a decision to make on each individually on where they’re at.

"Hopefully they will be able to be part of it in some way, which will give the boys a bit of a boost and strengthen the squad.

"It’s right in the balance. There are boys who have come back who it’s a balance - are they ready, are they not?

"We’re in the mix of trying to get that balance right. This game is a one-off game but we want to give ourselves as big a chance as we can. We look forward to it and we want to try and get through, but there are other games coming up as well, so we’ve got to find that constant balance, which is fine.

"Hopefully we will have one or two back in and around the group this weekend, but the key part of that how much we risk them."

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Boro are still awaiting confirmation on the severity of the Anfernee Dijksteel suffered at Huddersfield and Marcus Forss and Paddy McNair are not yet back in training.

“Forss will be a bit later (than Hackney, Crooks and Latte Lath)," said Carrick.

"We’re still waiting on news for Anf, but we’re hopeful that will be a small number of weeks rather than anything more, we’re just not sure exactly yet.

"As for Paddy, he’s had a couple of setbacks with his back. Again, it’s probably another couple of weeks but not too far ahead.”

Lewis O'Brien, Darragh Lenihan and Tommy Smith are all still out injured, while Riley McGree, Sammy Silvera and Seny Dieng are away on international duty.