Another blow for Boro in defence

BACK LINE HIT AGAIN BUT EDWARDS HOPES DEFENSIVE DUO WILL BE BACK

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ROB Edwards is hopeful that both Dael Fry and Callum Brittain will be available to start at Portsmouth on Saturday if needed, as Middlesbrough suffered another defensive injury blow against Stoke City.

George Edmundson was forced off just four minutes into the goalless draw at the Riverside with a hamstring injury and he looks set to join Darragh Lenihan on the sidelines as Boro's defensive reinforcements are hit once more.

With Fry only just returning from a calf injury himself, and Brittain absent with the foot injury he suffered in the weekend draw at Southampton, Edwards was forced to put Sammy Silvera at right-back having switched to a back four for this one to counter Stoke's threat from wide areas.