Fry misses out, 4-2-3-1: The Middlesbrough XI that Carrick should field v Stoke | OneFootball

Middlesbrough take on Stoke City this week as they aim to pile further pressure on Sheffield United in the race for automatic promotion.

Michael Carrick has done a superb job in getting Boro into the conversation for the top-two, with the weekend’s 3-1 win over Swansea City moving them back within four points of the Blades, who slipped up against Luton Town.

A midweek schedule awaits in the Championship, with Boro hosting Stoke on Tuesday, 24 hours before Sheffield United’s trip to Sunderland.

Early Middlesbrough team news

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Dael Fry was one obvious absentee for Boro on Saturday against Swansea, with Carrick explaining how illness ruled him out.

There’s a hope that Boro can recover Fry and bolster Carrick’s centre-back options against Stoke, though.

“We’ll just have to see (if Fry is okay for the Stoke game). He hasn’t been great most of the week,” Carrick said, as quoted by The Northern Echo.

“We’ll just have to see how he is when we get back tomorrow for training. We’ll make a call on that.”

As our graphic above shows, there’s very little need to push Fry if he’s not well enough. Carrick is in the luxurious position where he can name an unchanged line-up after a big away win.

Zack Steffen should be in goal, with Paddy McNair retained ahead of Fry, alongside Darragh Lenihan at centre-back. Tommy Smith and Ryan Giles are Boro’s two full-backs in this 4-2-3-1 system, albeit with very different roles and instructions about who attacks and who tucks in to make a three-man defence.

Jonny Howson and Hayden Hackney are the go-to pivot in midfield, behind a fluid attacking quartet.

Aaron Ramsey has three goals in five games, Riley McGree is playing some superb football drifting off a wing, whilst Chuba Akpom remains the Championship’s top goalscorer with 22 in 29 appearances this season. Cameron Archer completes the XI after getting back amongst the goals at Swansea.