The 13 players set to miss Derby County v Middlesbrough ft Riley McGree | OneFootball

We looked at which players are set to miss Derby County's game against Middlesbrough at Pride Park on New Year's Day through injury or suspension.

Derby County take on Middlesbrough in the Championship at Pride Park on New Year's Day.

After a slow start to the season, Derby surged up the table with a run of five consecutive victories in October and November, but their momentum has stalled somewhat in recent weeks.

The 14th-placed Rams have won just two of their last nine matches, and their four-game unbeaten run came to an end as they were beaten 2-1 at Leicester City on Monday night, with goals from Bobby Decordova-Reid and Jordan James either side of Rhian Brewster's equaliser sealing all three points for the Foxes.

After replacing Rob Edwards following his controversial move to Wolverhampton Wanderers, Kim Hellberg made an outstanding start to life as Middlesbrough head coach as he won his first four games in charge, but it has been much tougher for his side since then.

Boro remain second in the table, but they are without a win in their last three matches, and they lost 1-0 to Hull City at the Riverside Stadium on Monday night, with Darko Gyabi's 12th-minute winner for the Tigers moving them to within just two points of Hellberg's men.

As Derby and Middlesbrough look to start 2026 with a victory, we looked at which players are set to miss the game through injury or suspension.

Max Johnston - Derby County

After a lengthy transfer pursuit, defender Max Johnston became one of Derby's marquee summer signings when he made the move from Austrian side Sturm Graz in a deal worth up to £3.5 million.

However, it has been a frustrating start to life at Pride Park for Johnston, who has been sidelined since the end of October with a hamstring injury, and while he is now back in training, the Middlesbrough game may come a little too soon for him.

Owen Beck - Derby County

Having initially worked with him at Blackburn Rovers last season, defender Owen Beck reunited with Derby head coach John Eustace this summer as he joined the Rams on a season-long loan from Liverpool.

However, Beck has not made a single appearance for the Rams so far this season, and with the 23-year-old facing up to four months out with a hamstring injury, his loan spell at Pride Park is expected to be cut short in January.

Lewis Travis - Derby County

Lewis Travis was another former Blackburn player to link up with Eustace at Pride Park this summer, with the midfielder joining Derby in a £3 million deal after his acrimonious Ewood Park exit.

Travis was handed the captain's armband by Eustace after his arrival, but he has been out since the start of October with a calf injury, and although, like Johnston, he has returned to training, it remains to be seen whether he will be fit to face Middlesbrough.

David Ozoh - Derby County

Midfielder David Ozoh returned for a second loan spell at Derby from Crystal Palace in the summer, and he has scored one goal in 14 appearances for the Rams so far this season.

However, Ozoh has been sidelined since the start of November with a thigh injury, and while he is hoping to make his comeback next month, he will be unavailable for the visit of Middlesbrough.

Bobby Clark - Derby County

Midfielder Bobby Clark joined Derby on a season-long loan from RB Salzburg in the summer, and he has been a regular starter for Eustace's men this season, scoring one goal and providing one assist in 23 appearances so far.

However, Clark was forced off in the second half of the defeat at Leicester on Monday night with a knee injury, and there are big question marks over whether he will be fit to feature against Middlesbrough.

Carlton Morris - Derby County

Striker Carlton Morris made the move to Derby from Luton Town in the summer, and he enjoyed a stunning start to his Pride Park career as he scored 10 goals in his first 16 appearances for the Rams, but he has been sidelined since picking up an ankle injury at the end of November.

It was initially feared that Morris could miss the rest of the season, but there is a chance he could return as early as February, although Eustace will likely take a cautious approach with his star man.

Seny Dieng - Middlesbrough

It is fair to say that it has been a frustrating period for Seny Dieng, with the goalkeeper's last appearance for Middlesbrough coming all the way back in December 2024 having been plagued by an Achilles injury over the past year.

Dieng is now closing in on a return to fitness, but it seems his time at the Riverside Stadium may be coming to an end, with reports emerging this week claiming that Boro are preparing to terminate his contract to allow him to join Hull City on a free transfer.

Alfie Jones - Middlesbrough

Defender Alfie Jones joined Middlesbrough from Hull this summer in a deal worth around £3 million, and he had been a virtual ever-present for the Teesside outfit this season until he was forced off in the early stages of the 0-0 draw against Blackburn Rovers on Boxing Day with an ankle injury.

Hellberg described Jones' injury as a "small issue" that he was already feeling prior to the game, but he missed the defeat to Hull on Monday night, and he looks to be a major doubt for the trip to Derby.

George Edmundson - Middlesbrough

George Edmundson has been limited to just six appearances for Middlesbrough this season, with the 28-year-old largely being used in the event of injuries to his fellow defenders, but he is currently suffering fitness problems of his own.

Edmundson came on for Jones against Blackburn, but after picking up a knock, he did not reappear for the second half, and while Hellberg expressed his hope that his injury is not a serious one, it is unclear whether he will be available to face Derby.

Dael Fry - Middlesbrough

Defender Dael Fry has been an integral part of the Middlesbrough squad for over a decade after coming through the club's academy, but he has struggled with injuries in recent years.

Fry made his return after almost two months out with a calf injury when he replaced Edmundson at half time against Blackburn, but he was absent for the defeat to Hull on Monday night, and he may be sidelined again on New Year's Day.

Darragh Lenihan - Middlesbrough

Many of Middlesbrough's defenders are currently experiencing injury woes, but few players have had it tougher than Darragh Lenihan, who has been out for most of the last two years with various fitness issues.

Lenihan made his long-awaited return in August after a lengthy spell on the sidelines, but he made just two appearances before suffering a fresh Achilles injury, and while he is not expected to miss the rest of the season, he still has some way to go in his recovery.

Riley McGree - Middlesbrough

Midfielder Riley McGree is another Middlesbrough player who has spent plenty of time on the treatment table of late, but he made a big impact after returning to fitness in November, scoring two goals and providing one assist in 10 appearances.

However, McGree has once again been struck by the injury curse, and having missed the last two games after sustaining his latest knock in the 2-0 defeat at Bristol City, it looks likely he will be absent again when his side travel to Pride Park.

David Strelec - Middlesbrough

After initially targeting him in the January transfer window, Middlesbrough finally landed the signature of striker David Strelec when he made the move to the Riverside Stadium from Slovan Bratislava in the summer for a fee of £6.5 million, with the deal including a potential further £2 million in add-ons.

However, it has been an underwhelming start to life on Teesside for Strelec, with the 24-year-old scoring just three goals in 15 appearances for Boro so far, and he is doubtful for the game against Derby after sitting out the defeat to Hull on Monday night.