Seven Middlesbrough youngsters who played against Newcastle and are pushing for starts ahead of Shrewsbury Carabao Cup clash

Last season the likes of Hayden Coulson, Djed Spence and Aynsley Pears all made their Championship debuts and went on to become key players for the Teessiders.

And with places up for grabs ahead of Friday’s Carabao Cup meeting with Shrewsbury Town, there’s a crop of youthful prospects who will be hoping for an opportunity.

We take a closer look at some of the players who featured in Tuesday’s 5-1 pre-season win over Newcastle United and may receive a chance:

Sam Stubbs

Boro fans may not know much about the 21-year-old centre-back who joined the club from Wigan Athletic in the summer of 2018.

That’s because the defender, son of former Everton centre-back Alan Stubbs, has been sent out on loan three times since signing for the Teessiders, gaining experience in League Two with Notts County, before playing in the Scottish and Dutch top flights with Hamilton Academical and ADO Den Haag respectively.

Due to several first-team departures over the last few months, new signing Grant Hall and Dael Fry are Boro’s only senior centre-back options with significant Championship experience.

Stubbs should, therefore, be pushing for a first-team place at the start of campaign, especially if Warnock opts to play a 3-5-2 formation as he has done in pre-season.

Nathan Wood

Similar to Stubbs, the teenage defender has been bumped up the pecking order following the departures of centre-backs Daniel Ayala, Ryan Shotton, George Friend and Harold Moukoudi.

Wood, son of former Boro left-back Dean Gordon, earned plenty of praise when he became the club’s youngest ever player to make a professional appearance two years ago, coming off the bench in an EFL Cup tie against Notts County aged just 16 years and 72 days.

Since then the centre-back, now 18, has been a regular for Boro’s under-23 side and did make his Championship debut against Birmingham earlier this year.

After starting in a back three against Newcastle, it looks like Wood is well placed for a first-team chance against Shrewsbury.

Marcus Browne

A player who has the potential to excite but didn’t quite look ready last season.

After joining Boro from West Ham, the pacey playmaker showed flashes of his ability, yet his temperament often let him down – as shown when he was sent off for a reckless tackle against Swansea last December.

Browne returned to former club Oxford in January and once again impressed in League One, helping the U’s reach the division’s play-off final in July.

With an extra year of experience under his belt, Boro fans will hope the 22-year-old is now ready to step up.

Marc Bola

Like Browne, Bola struggled to make the transition from League One to the Championship last term and was loaned back to Blackpool halfway through the season.

The 22-year-old left-back does have players ahead of him in the shape of Hayden Coulson and Marvin Johnson, yet Warnock would like to play with a 4-3-3 system when possible.

That could free up the left-back slot, with both Coulson and Johnson suited to playing further forward.

Bola may be accustomed to playing on the left of a back four but is capable of charging forward, as shown when he won a penalty which resulted in Boro’s fifth goal against Newcastle.

Sam Folarin

Another player Boro fans may not know too much about, yet the 19-year-old appears to have plenty of potential.

Last summer, following the winger’s arrival from non-league club Tooting and Mitcham, Boro under-23s coach Graeme Lee said: “He's got electric pace and raw talent so he's one we're looking forward to working with.”

Folarin was a regular for Boro’s youth side in Premier League 2, Division 2, last season, often operating out wide in a 4-3-3 system.

Warnock has been keen to take a closer look at the winger who travelled with the squad to Cornwall last week and made an impact off the bench against Newcastle.

Stephen Walker

Warnock is still looking to bring in another striker before the end of the transfer window which may allow Walker to leave on loan again.

The 19-year-old played regularly for Crewe and helped The Alex win promotion from League Two last season after joining the club on loan in January.

With Britt Assombalonga and Ashley Fletcher ahead of him, Walker’s chances at Boro may remain limited, especially if Boro do bring in another forward.

Yet, as we saw last season, it only takes one injury or incident to open up an opportunity.

Walker has impressed in recent weeks after scoring in the second friendly match against Plymouth and converting a penalty against Newcastle.

Ben Liddle

Boro appear well stocked in central midfield but will be missing George Saville and Paddy McNair against Shrewsbury due to international call-ups.

That could open up a chance for someone like Liddle who made his first senior start for the club against Tottenham in the FA Cup back in January.

It’s unclear if Warnock will opt to play his strongest possible side against the Shrews, with Jonny Howson, Lewis Wing and Marcus Tavernier also available in the midfield engine room.

Liddle, 21, will certainly be hoping he can earn some game time, though, following a loan spell at Scunthorpe in League Two last season.

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