Five missing for Boro against Luton including on-loan Aston Villa attacker and Australian international

Middlesbrough are expected to be without a number of first team regulars including on-loan Aston Villa attacker Aaron Ramsey and Australian international Riley McGree for their trip to Luton this evening.

Ramsey, 20, has scored five goals in 11 appearances since arriving from Villa Park in January, following a spell at Championship rivals Norwich City, with McGree, who featured for his country at the World Cup in Qatar last year, netting six times in 41 league outings this term.

The pair both have ankle injuries, with defender Dael Fry also out, as the trio have been joined in the treatment room by Tommy Smith and second top scorer with 10 goals, Marcus Forss, the pair going off in the 3-1 win over Hull City last week.

Ex-Manchester United youngster Paddy McNair is also a doubt, as speaking to the Northern Echo, boss Michael Carrick said: “I don't know about the end of the season but it's definitely a no (for Ramsey and McGree) for Monday.

"Tommy got a bad one in the ribs so X-rays, we're waiting to see how that is.

"Marcus's ankle, he got his ankle caught under the tackle, again waiting on scans so we'll have to assess that when results come back.

"We've obviously taken some injuries, numbers are severely down.

"We're still trying to see who's available and what the options are for Monday."

With Luton in third and Boro fourth, then tonight’s clash could well be a dress rehearsal to a potential play-off final meeting at Wembley next month, should both sides get through their two-legged ties.

However, that wasn't how Carrick was looking at it, as he told the Teesside Gazette: “I’m not getting ahead of anything and thinking about play-offs in relation to this game.

"This is just the next game and it’s a good challenge for us.

"We’ll take each game as it comes.

"If we have to look back on this game in the future for certain things then at the time we will of course do that, but we're certainly not thinking about that now or getting too ahead of ourselves.

"We'll look forward to it, and we appreciate it's a tough place to go.

"They've been on a terrific run.

"Rob (Edwards) has done a fantastic job there so we know the challenge that we'll face.

"It's not a case of it being one way or the other, so we'll look forward to the game.”