Tony Pulis will once again have to piece together a team from what he has left as he attempts to drag Middlesbrough back into the Sky Bet Championship play-off places against Reading.
Boro sit in seventh on goal difference after Monday's damaging 3-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest and in danger of missing out with just the Royals and relegation-threatened Rotherham to play.
Central defenders Dani Ayala (knee) and Dael Fry (hamstring), as well as full-back George Friend (thigh), will not play again this season, while midfielder Lewis Wing (hernia surgery) is also on the long-term casualty list. Teenagers Nathan Wood and Djed Spence have been added to the matchday squad in recent weeks, but neither has yet made a league appearance.
Reading boss Jose Gomes has doubts over strikers Nelson Oliveira and Yakou Meite. Oliveira lasted just six minutes of Monday's 0-0 draw with West Brom and Meite only seven more before they were forced off prematurely through injury.
Teenager Danny Loader and midfielder Garath McCleary deputised as Gomes' side scrapped its way to a point which all but mathematically guarantees their continued presence in the Championship. On-loan Liverpool midfielder Ovie Ejaria managed the full 90 minutes three days after playing through a fever in the 1-1 draw at Bristol City.
Opta stats
Middlesbrough have won their last four league matches against Reading, having won just four of their previous 15 against the Royals.
Reading have never lost three consecutive away league visits to Middlesbrough, losing the last two by the same score (1-2 in April 2016 and February 2018).
Only Bolton Wanderers (8) have lost more Championship matches across their last 10 games than Middlesbrough (7).
Since José Manuel Gomes' first Championship match in charge of Reading, only Stoke (10) have drawn more Championship games than the Royals (9).
Middlesbrough have lost their last eight Championship games when falling behind since winning 3-2 at West Brom from a losing position.
Since conceding three first-half goals against Leeds in March, Reading have conceded just one goal in the first-half of Championship matches.
Prutton's prediction
Middlesbrough were so poor at Nottingham Forest on Monday. It is the time of the year where you want to be playing teams in mid-table with nothing left to fight for, but they got absolutely rolled over.
A lot of people backed Reading to go down a couple of weeks ago, but they have picked up points at the right time and it would take an almighty turnaround for them to be relegated now. Luckily, they are playing a side in Boro who don't score too many! Draw for me.
David Prutton predicts: 1-1 (6/1 with Sky Bet)