Middlesbrough defender Nathan Wood given Hibernian debut after Neil Warnock takes a swipe at the teenager's agent

Despite grinding out a late win over Peterborough United at the weekend, the Boro boss has something of a defensive crisis on his hands at the Riverside with up to five first choice defenders missing.

Full-backs Anfernee Dijksteel, Darnell Fisher and Marc Bola are all on the treatment table and central defensive pair Dael Fry and Grant Hall are also expected to be out for a month, with Warnock unable to call upon 19-year-old Wood after he was loaned out to Scottish Premiership side Hibs on transfer deadline day in August.

Wood was limited to just one appearance in the opening month of the campaign with Boro, which came in the League Cup defeat at Blackpool and resulted in the player’s agent seeking increased first team opportunities elsewhere.

But Warnock believes Wood’s agent has a lot to answer for with the defender only making his first appearance for loan club Hibs at the sixth time of asking at the weekend.

“We can’t recall him,” said Warnock.

“He went there because his agent wanted him to play games but they obviously don’t know what they’re talking about because I don’t think he’s started a game yet. So where he’s got the experience from I'll never know.

“Sometimes you just get given the wrong advice and I think Nathan got given the wrong advice.”

And in light of Warnock’s words Wood, who captained England U20’s against Italy and the Czech Republic recently, was brought into Jack Ross’ side for a debut to forget, going down 3-0 to Dundee United at Easter Road.

Despite the result, which saw the Hibees slip to fifth in the Premiership table, former Sunderland manager Ross was satisfied with Wood’s performance.

"I thought Nathan did okay,” said Ross.

“It’s difficult at this moment to say that any of us can be satisfied with what we produced out on the pitch because of the performance and the result, but I think there were aspects of his play where he will feel he contributed well.”

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