Sunday 24 May 2015 16:58, UK
Middlesbrough striker Patrick Bamford may not be selected by boss Aitor Karanka for Monday’s Sky Bet Championship play-off final with Norwich even if passed fit.
The England under-21 international, who is on loan from Chelsea, has been struggling with a persistent ankle problem and was an unused substitute in last Friday's semi-final second-leg victory over Brentford.
Bamford, the Championship player of the year, returned to training at Arsenal’s London Colney base on Saturday and he looks set to be fit to play.
However, Karanka has warned that the 19-goal striker may not make it in to Boro's Wembley side.
"I hope he is fit because he was training," Karanka said. "He's a little bit better and we have another day to see how he is and I hope he can play.
"But now I have to think because Kike took his chance [against Brentford], scoring a goal, Jelle Vossen scored against Brentford, so for me it is a bit of a headache, but I have two very good strikers so I will have to choose the right one.
"Physically, Patrick's fit to play because he trained on Saturday, so I think he will be better and then it's my decision. The only thing I have on my mind is the team.
"I said in my first meeting with the players that there is not a player who is above the team. The team is the only thing that matters.
"For example, when Patrick was injured, Jelle Vossen and Kike scored goals, so it will be my decision."
Karanka knows that his side’s success this season will be determined by how they fare against the Canaries against Wembley, with defeat condemning Middlesbrough to a seventh campaign out of the Barclays Premier League.
With such a prize at stake, the Spaniard knows mental adjustments will have to be made.
"The way to prepare is the same in terms of tactics or physicality, but you have to prepare in other ways, because it's a final," he said. "The mental point of view is different because a final is always a different game.
"You're going to play for all of the season. Tactically and physically we're going to do the same as what we've done all season, but the psychology and other things has to be different."
