George Friend and Adam Clayton update as Middlesbrough prepare for Birmingham City test plus surprising striker claim

Friend, 33, spent eight years at Boro and was a popular figure at the Riverside before leaving Teesside in August.

Friend has made 13 league appearances for Birmingham, now managed by former Boro boss Aitor Karanka, this season but has missed the Blues’ last three games with a calf injury.

When asked if Friend will be available again soon following Birmingham’s 3-2 defeat at Cardiff on Wednesday, Karanka said: “I don’t know because we have to check him day by day.

“It was impossible for the game today, let’s see if he will be available for the game on Saturday.”

Former Boro midfielder Adam Clayton has recently returned from an ankle injury and was an unused substitute against Cardiff.

Warnock quizzed on future

Back at Boro, Neil Warnock says he’s still yet to make up his mind about his future at the Riverside.

The 72-year-old agreed to take charge of the Teessiders for the 2020/21 season but hasn’t made any commitments beyond the campaign.

When asked about his future plans in an interview with FourFourTwo Magazine, Warnock said: “Who knows? The way the world is at the moment, I’m making no plans.

"I’m not ruling anything in or anything out. But what I will say is that this job doesn’t disappoint.

"I only came back because it was Steve Gibson who asked me, and working for him has been as good as I hoped it would be.”

Surprising striker claim

Finally, Anderlecht manager Vincent Kompany has described former Boro forward Lukas Nmecha as a ‘complete striker.’

The 22-year-old failed to score during his 13 appearances for the Teessiders last season, following a loan move from Manchester City.

Nmecha has since scored nine times in 14 league appearances while on loan at Anderlecht.

Komapny told TV station HLN: “Of course, he still has room for improvement, but actually he is already a quite complete striker. He does not have any noticeable weaknesses – at the moment he is already one of the best strikers in Belgium.

“In time he will be a striker for one of the European clubs who are just below the top or even for a top European club.”

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