Matt Crooks banned for Middlesbrough showdown with Huddersfield

Posted Saturday, April 16, 2022 by PA

Middlesbrough will be without suspended midfielder Matt Crooks for Easter Monday’s Riverside clash against promotion rivals Huddersfield.

Crooks received his 15th yellow card of the season in the Good Friday stalemate at Bournemouth and will sit out Boro’s next three games.

Australia international Riley McGree could get the nod to replace Crooks, with Martin Payero recovering fitness following an ankle injury.

Boro boss Chris Wilder sprang a surprise by changing his goalkeeper at Bournemouth, and Luke Daniels will keep the number one spot from Joe Lumley after his clean sheet on the south coast.

Huddersfield will assess the extent of Danny Ward’s injury after the striker was withdrawn during the interval of Friday’s 2-2 home draw with QPR.

Top-scorer Ward was replaced by Duane Holmes at the break, but Terriers boss Carlos Corberan has other attacking options at his disposal.

Josh Koroma or Jordan Rhodes could also feature for a Huddersfield side who celebrated captain Jonathan Hogg’s 300th appearance for the club against QPR.

Third-placed Huddersfield are four points adrift of Bournemouth, who are currently in the second Sky Bet Championship automatic promotion spot, but have played two more games than the Cherries.