The former Celtic man had scored nine goals this term for Boro before he injured medial ligaments in his knee in the February 1 draw with Leicester City.

McDonald had initially been expected to miss the rest of the season for the promotion hopefuls but Boro boss Tony Mowbray revealed he had progressed well in recent weeks.

“All reports suggest Scott has a chance of getting back quicker than originally thought. And yet I would be wary of being over-optimistic,” Mowbray told the Middlesbrough Gazette.

“Towards the end of an injury like his, you can push too hard and there could be a setback.

“It’s all positive with Scott at the moment. I’m sure in his mind he wants to get back playing before the season is out. He won’t want to face a long summer without a game or two behind him.

“I would hope that Scott’s got an important part to play before the end of the season but let’s wait and see, let’s hope he has no setbacks.”

It is understood, McDonald recently got off crutches and no longer requires a knee brace, but Mowbray continued to be cautious on his return date despite his progress.

“Medial knee ligaments can be difficult to assess because you can run in a straight line – I’m sure Scott could sprint in a straight line with no discomfort - but as soon as you push off or you twist or make a tackle, you can open the injury back up again,” he said.

“You have to get the balance right with a medial knee ligament and make sure it is strong enough for the rigours of a professional football match.”

Meanwhile, Boro are believed to be monitoring fellow Australian Rhys Williams ahead of this weekend's clash with Birmingham City after he sustained an ankle injury in Sunday's 2-0 loss to Leeds United.