Middlesbrough set to have fresh double fear ahead of Hull City clash - it involves Tigers striker Oli McBurnie | OneFootball

Hull City could welcome back attacking duo ahead of Middlesbrough clash

Middlesbrough will have their hands full on Friday when they make the trip to the MKM Stadium to take on Hull City, as Sergej Jakirovic may be able to welcome back two of his more dangerous attackers.

HullLive are reporting that the Tigers, who already boast the second-best scoring record in the Championship, are hoping to have both Oli McBurnie and Liam Millar back in training early this week in the build-up to Friday's clash.

The attacking duo have been missing since the end of October, with McBurnie struggling with a calf problem and Millar's comeback from ACL surgery being halted by a fresh hamstring issue.

McBurnie especially has been a massive miss for Hull in the eight games he's been absent for, as he already had 10 goal contributions in as many games before his period on the shelf.

And, with Boro currently undergoing an injury crisis of their own in defence, it's not the news that Kim Hellberg will have wanted to hear to start his week.

Middlesbrough targeted for Oli McBurnie and Liam Millar's injury return

Hull returned to winning ways over the weekend with an impressive away win at promotion-challenging Stoke City, and manager Sergej Jakirovic was quick to double the good news after the match.

"Oli [McBurnie] and Liam [Millar] should be back in training this week," he told Hull Live.

"We are aiming for Middlesbrough, but we will see. If it's not Middlesbrough, then it's one hundred per cent Wrexham [on December 10]."

Boro manager Kim Hellberg will be hoping it's the latter, as the Swedish boss was embroiled in a freakish injury crisis in his first game at the helm against Derby County that, despite ending victorious, forced him to play left-back Matt Targett at centre-back and draft Alex Bangura in for his first competitive start in 22 months.

"We had four centre-backs away from playing. I've never been in that situation before," Hellberg said post-match after a debut win in charge of Boro.

He'll be hoping he can patch that up in time for Friday, especially if Boro's opponents are set to bring back two of the more dangerous attackers in the division.

Middlesbrough set for tough defensive battle at Hull City, which is only heightened by duo's return

A Friday night fight under the lights at the MKM Stadium is never a fun prospect, but for Middlesbrough, it'll provide even more dread if McBurnie and Millar are set to make their returns from injury.

McBurnie had registered six goals and four assists upon his return to the Championship following a year with Las Palmas in La Liga. He won September's Player of the Month, and was looking like one of the best frontmen in the division before injury struck.

As for Millar, he's been mired with injuries during his time in East Yorkshire, playing just 17 times since he made the move from Preston North End last summer.

However, he showed in his only start for the Tigers this season, a goalscoring effort in a 2-1 win over Leicester City, that he still has the capabilities of being one of the more exciting wide attackers in the division.

Middlesbrough were already set for a tough battle defensively, regardless, given their injury problems and the fact that Hull have still managed to maintain their goalscoring prowess while McBurnie and Millar have been out.

But the prospect of them both playing a part in Friday's game will give even more of a headache for Kim Hellberg, as Boro look to become only the fourth side to shut Hull out this season.