MIDDLESBROUGH will again be without Dael Fry and George Edmundson for Friday's trip to Blackburn, and Luke Ayling looks unlikely to feature again this season after having surgery on his ankle injury.
But Rav van den Berg came through his brief return unscathed and is available for the game at Ewood Park, where Riley McGree will also be in the squad again.
Van den Berg returned to action from the bench late on in Saturday's 2-1 win over Oxford United at the Riverside but Carrick refused to be drawn on whether the Dutch defender is ready to start on Friday. Or whether he wants to break up his makeshift defence that has conceded just two goals in the last three games.
A couple of weeks ago Boro's defensive situation looked desperate after the injuries to all three of their centre-halves, but Jonny Howson and Neto Borges have stepped up in style.
But Carrick will soon have options at the back again, with Fry and Edmundson both making progress as they work their back from injury. They're expected to be back in full training "in the next week or so".
“There’s nothing really new," said Carrick, updating on the injury situation.
"We are kind of largely what we finished with from the game the other day.
"Some of the boys are getting a bit closer - George is getting a little bit closer, Dael's getting a little bit closer. So that's good news.
“With Rav and Riley, it’s obviously managing it a bit. But it's great to have them back. It's a big step for them both.
"They've had a little bit of training, but to be back in and around. Rav got back on the pitch, so it's a good step for us. And as I already said, you know, getting George hopefully back and Dael hopefully back then we’re starting to feel a bit stronger again.”
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Asked whether van den Berg is ready to start on Friday, Carrick said: "We'll have to see. That's a decision we have to make. He's been out for a period of time so we'll have to be careful. It could go either way. We'll decide on the team."
Ayling has been out of action since suffering an ankle injury in the win over Derby at the start of March. After having surgery, time looks to be against him if he wants to play again this season.
"Near enough," said Carrick, when asked if the former Leeds man has been ruled out of the remaining games.
"It's not totally written off. He got landed on his ankle. Unfortunately for Luke he's out for a number of weeks."
At a time of crisis, Howson and Borges have come to Boro's rescue in recent weeks, with Samuel Iling-Junior also impressing at left-back.
“I think there's a level of experience and composure with it," said Carrick of Howson and Borges,
"They haven't had any level of panic or rashness in the way they've played. To a degree, they've both played that position before. Neto played kind of tucked in a little bit more at times throughout his career and Jonny's played there enough for us over the years, even before I got here.
“So it's not totally new, but, of course, it felt like a new back four. And with Trav [Mark Travers] not being here for too long, it felt like a new back five.
"The boys have all coped with it really well, I think as a team as much as anything, in terms of defensive responsibilities from the front and doing the job and making everyone's job that little bit less to do, maybe a little bit easier - not saying it's easy, but you understand what I'm saying.
"I think everyone's sharing that responsibility, so hopefully we can carry that on."
