City host the Blues at the MKM Stadium on looking for a fifth home win
Hull City have been handed what is a potentially major boost ahead of Saturday’s home game with Portsmouth with a potential return from injury for one of their key attackers.Mohamed Belloumi trained on Thursday and could well be in the squad that faces Pompey as the Tigers look to bounce back from defeat at Derby County on Tuesday night.The Algerian winger has not played since injuring his hamstring in the 3-1 win over Southampton in late September, having only returned from almost a year out with an ACL injury picked up on November 5 against Blackburn Rovers at the back end of August.Having Belloumi back in the squad would be a major boost to Sergej Jakirovic, who will remain without Liam Millar, Oli McBurnie, John Lundstram, Kasey Palmer and Eliot Matazo.Boss Sergej Jakirovic admits he must decide whether or not to include Belloumi, or afford him the upcoming international break before introducing him.
Elsewhere, City have no fresh issues from their disappointing trip to the East Midlands on Tuesday night, with Joe Gelhardt and Matt Crooks both fit to be involved.
“It’s very good,” he told Hull Live. “They are all fine, and we don’t have any new injuries after these two games, so we are good.
“With Mo, I will decide tomorrow,” he then said of Belloumi. “Maybe he will be in the squad on Saturday, and this is good.
“He trained today (Thursday) with the group, so we need to decide what’s the best option. It’s tricky. We are balancing a tricky situation for me, but I speak of course with Mo every day, so we will decide together.”
Jakirovic also confirmed he hopes McBurnie and Lundstram will return after the international break and will continue their recovery over the next couple of weeks.
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