Middlesbrough boss Neil Warnock has revealed that he expects Anfernee Dijksteel to be out for a number of weeks with injury, though Paddy McNail and Marc Bola have at least returned to full training.

The Boro boss takes his side to Reading tomorrow lunchtime in the Sky Bet Championship, with them looking to get a win on the board and build a little bit of rhythm.

One man that is going to be missing in their bid to do that in the next few weeks, though, is Dijksteel with Warnock telling the Boro website:

“I think Dijksteel will be out a substantial time.

"I don’t know how long exactly but I don’t expect to see him for a few weeks."

In better news, McNair and Bola are back out on the training pitch, though the manager did hint at easing them back into the fold rather than throwing them straight back into the cut and thrust of Championship football:

“We’ve got Bola and Paddy who came back into full time training yesterday

“But we’re treading warily really when it comes to bringing them back.”

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The Verdict

Dijksteel had to come off during the game with Blackpool last weekend, whilst Bola and McNair have been missing since the draw with Blackburn Rovers at the end of August.

It's good for Boro that the latter pair are back in contention but, as Warnock hints, it may not be instant that we see them return to the first-team fold.

Whoever plays tomorrow, though, will be tasked with getting a win on the board against a Reading side that got an impressive win at Fulham last weekend.