Middlesbrough handed major Ben Doak, Liverpool blow | OneFootball

Boro have been dealt a devastating injury blow to their star Liverpool loanee.

Middlesbrough have been dealt a devastating injury blow, with Liverpool loanee Ben Doak understood to have undergone surgery and returned to Anfield.

That's according to a report from The Northern Echo on Thursday, which will no doubt have Boro fans cursing their team's current bad luck with injuries mounting across Michael Carrick's squad.

The 19-year-old Scotland international hasn't been seen since Middlesbrough's 2-1 away defeat to Preston North End on 25 January, but it was hoped that he wouldn't be far off from a return heading into the business end of the season.

Middlesbrough suffer Ben Doak injury heartbreak as teenager star returns to Liverpool

As revealed by The Northern Echo, they understand that Doak has undergone what is being described as a "minor procedure", and has now returned to parent club Liverpool to receive initial treatment.

The teenager suffered an injury to his thigh in training ahead of Middlesbrough's Tees-Wear derby clash with Sunderland on 3 February, and the club were initially optimistic that the right-winger would be able to return to the squad in early March.

However, his problem is worse than first feared, and as such, the decision was made that undergoing surgery would be the best course of action for the exciting young winger.

Despite returning to Anfield, Liverpool will monitor Doak's recovery closely and will remain in contact with the Teessiders, whilst Carrick hasn't ruled out the possibility that he could return to Teesside before the end of the season and playing for the club once again.

But, it would appear that's more in hope rather than expectation at this stage with just 11 games of the Championship season to play, and neither Liverpool nor Middlesbrough will want to rush him back to fitness, only to see him go down with another problem as a result.

Doak will be a huge loss for Middlesbrough, but now Michael Carrick will need Morgan Whittaker to step up

Losing a player who's provided three goals and seven assists in just 24 Championship appearances this season will no doubt be a massive blow to Middlesbrough's promotion hopes.

Doak had been quickly establishing himself as one of the best wingers in the second tier this season, with few full-backs able to say they got the better of him this term.

However, one person's loss is another's opportunity, and Morgan Whittaker may now inherit the starting job on Boro's right flank weeks before he may have expected to, prior to Doak's injury revelation.

The £5m winter arrival from Plymouth Argyle is yet to open his scoring account as a Middlesbrough player, but is seemingly beginning to settle into the starting XI in recent weeks, with some top performances against the likes of Bristol City, Stoke and Derby respectively.

As such, Boro appear to have a quality option to replace Doak, and now Carrick may have to lean on him even more to have a big impact on his side's play-off push.