Defensive injuries are biting hard on Boro's back line, but

ROB Edwards admits Middlesbrough might be down to the ‘bare bones’ defensively, but that does not change his feelings on allowing Neto Borges to leave the club this summer.

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The Boro head coach was questioned about the decision to allow the defender to leave the club to join Bristol City on loan at the end of the summer transfer window as injury concerns built at the back for Boro. They were forced to switch left-back Matt Targett to the middle for last week's West Brom win.

That came as they lost George Edmundson to a nasty head clash in the first half, while already without Dael Fry and Darragh Lenihan. All three are now doubts for this weekend's game at Southampton.

It's the second time in six months that Boro have been in the midst of a defensive injury crisis, with similar problems arising after January when allowing Matt Clarke to join Derby County.

On this occasion, Borges had slipped to sixth in the centre-back pecking order and wanted more guarantees over game time.