Middlesbrough's hopes of securing a play-off spot may be almost over but there's still plenty for the team to play for.

Neil Warnock had hoped that his side would be in and around the top six at this stage of the season but now it appears that there's simply too much ground to make up if they were to be in the promotion mix.

That means that attention promptly turns to next season.

While Warnock has done an excellent job of building the foundations of a side for next term there's still decisions to be made regarding certain players in his squad as he looks to decide if they have what it takes to help the club to challenge for promotion next term.

With that in mind here are two Middlesbrough players who need to save their Boro careers in the final weeks of the season.

Hayden Coulson

It's been a hugely frustrating season for the left-back.

Coulson was in and out of the side during the first half of the campaign but has barely featured under Neil Warnock since the turn of the year, suggesting that he's not a central part of Warnock's plans.

That said, the left-sided player has featured in both matches over the Easter weekend and has certainly showed promise - something that he will need to continue doing if he's to convince the gaffer that he has what it takes to stick around next term.

Chuba Akpom

It's been a really disappointing season for the striker.

Chuba Akpom got off to a great start with Middlesbrough after scoring two in his first two games, but since then the striker has scored just twice in 33 appearances for the club.

Given that Warnock has opted to play Duncan Watmore instead of Akpom in attack of late is a damning indication of how he's rated at the moment and you'd think that Akpom will have to show something different between now and the summer if he's to convince the boss that he can lead the line next term.