Former Town loanee Matt Bates faces another long spell on the sidelines after the injury he suffered in Middlesbrough's friendly at Darlington earlier in the week was revealed to be cruciate ligament damage. Bates was strongly tipped to make a return to Portman Road on another loan spell next season.

Bates twisted his left knee during Tuesday's game, his first match back after seriously damaging his right knee during his spell with the Blues at the end of last year.

Boro's head of medical Grant Downie said: "It's a devastating blow for a player who was recovering from an injury to his other knee.

"Matty applied himself terrifically well to recover from his initial injury and all our thoughts are with him."

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