Kim Hellberg confirms worrying Middlesbrough team news ahead of Ipswich Town | OneFootball

Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg has issued a worrying injury update ahead of his side's trip to Ipswich Town on Sunday

Middlesbrough's chances of automatic promotion are looking increasingly slim with each passing week, with their 1-0 home defeat to Portsmouth on Saturday being the latest blow to Boro's Premier League ambitions.

Footballing-wise, there have been few better sides to watch in the Championship this season than Middlesbrough, yet automatic promotion looks set to evade the Teesside outfit after a dismal run of form.

Boro are winless in each of their last six league games, seeing their place in the top two capitalised on by Ipswich Town, who are incidentally their next opponents.

When they travel to Portman Road next Sunday, anything other than all three points almost certainly ruins Middlesbrough's chances of automatic promotion, with the play-offs likely being their best route back to the top flight at that stage.

Ahead of their travels to Suffolk, Swedish boss Kim Hellberg has issued an update regarding injuries to his squad, and it's not a positive one, unfortunately for Boro fans.

Kim Hellberg provides worrying injury update ahead of Ipswich clash

Ahead of their trip to Ipswich on Sunday, Hellberg has provided an update on the availability of some of his squad members.

The likes of Hayden Hackney, Morgan Whittaker, and Leo Castledine have all been absent recently, with Hackney and Whittaker missing the last four league games, whereas Castledine has missed the last three.

To make matters worse, Matt Targett was only able to complete 45 minutes in their defeat to Portsmouth on Saturday, with the Newcastle United loanee withdrawn at half-time, having been previously forced off against Millwall on Good Friday whilst missing the Easter trip to Swansea City.

In that Swansea clash, fellow left-back Alex Bangura continued his injury woes by being forced off in the first half, adding to Boro's injury list in the process.

Following the Portsmouth defeat, when asked whether either Hackney, Whittaker, or Castledine would be involved at Ipswich, Hellberg said: "I don't know."

Unsurprisingly, the Swede was fairly reserved in his post-match press conference, with Conor Chaplin's late goal all but crushing their hopes of automatic promotion, and now must head to Suffolk on Sunday with three points being the minimum result.

Alongside the half-time withdrawals on Saturday at The Riverside was Ecuadorian winger Jeremy Sarmiento, whose uninspiring start to life on Teesside after his loan from Brighton and Hove Albion continues, as Alfie Jones remains absent.

Regarding Sarmiento, Hellberg said: "He had a hit on his knee, actually, so I think it was a combination that he couldn't play through."

With a week to rest, recover, and rehabilitate, Hellberg will be hoping and praying the likes of Hackney and Whittaker are fit enough to return to the side when they travel to Ipswich, with their omission from the side as of late being felt brutally.

Middlesbrough's Premier League hopes are certainly not over just yet, though victory at Ipswich is essential to keeping their automatic hopes alive, and the likes of Hackney, Whittaker, and Castledine can certainly aid those efforts if fit.

Middlesbrough will be holding their breath on the fitness of Hayden Hackney and Morgan Whittaker ahead of the Ipswich clash

Captain Hackney is all but Premier League-bound, with numerous clubs in the top flight tracking his progress ahead of a potential move this summer.

Should Boro fail to earn promotion, Hackney will almost certainly be playing Premier League football next season, regardless, though he will be hoping to do so with his boyhood club.

Whittaker, whilst he has been inconsistent, remains Boro's top scorer this season with 11 goals and six assists, with neither Tommy Conway, David Strelec, Kaly Sene, nor Sontje Hansen picking up the mantle in his absence.

Castledine shone for Huddersfield Town in the first half of the season, whilst Targett has been one of the best full-backs in the league this campaign, and Sarmiento possesses undoubted quality.