Two months since his last start for EFL Championship side Middlesbrough, American midfielder Aidan Morris returned to Michael Carrick’s starting lineup on Tuesday.
Morris started and played 90 minutes as Middlesbrough defeated visiting West Bromwich Albion 2-0 at the Riverside Stadium. The U.S. men’s national team midfielder had been sidelined since November due to a knee injury, but made his return to action off the bench last weekend vs. Portsmouth.
Hayden Hackney propelled the hosts in front after 29 minutes before Ben Doak iced the result with seven minutes to play in the match. Morris made two interceptions, nine defensive recoveries, and won foul duels in his performance.
The 23-year-old has now made 19 appearances for the Tyneside club since joining from Columbus Crew last summer. His return is a major boost for Middlesbrough, who sits fifth in the EFL Championship table with 18 league matches remaining this season.
Middlesbrough visits Preston North End on Saturday before hosting rivals Sunderland to open February’s busy schedule.
Checking out some of the local player ratings and he was the best player on the field
Aiden usually looks pretty good in computer rankings because he wins his duals and he completes most of his passes. He’s also constantly looking to turn and progress the ball. These things plus a high work rate also make him quite popular with fan rankings.