The City boss isn’t short of options for this weekend’s game in the West Midlands
Will Lewis Koumas keep his place at The Hawthorns?(Image: Phil Oldham/Shutterstock)
Sergej Jakirovic will challenge his Hull City players to claim an 11th away win when they take on West Brom at The Hawthorns on Saturday.
Jakirovic made four changes for the success at Wrexham on Tuesday night, with City changing shape and operating with a back three, partly down to having no available left-backs.
That formation worked well in North Wales, but Jakirovic may revert to his traditional 4-3-3 with Lewie Coyle available again after sitting out Tuesday night with the ankle issue he sustained in Ipswich the week before.
At The Racecourse, Jakirovic deployed Liam Millar in the left wing-back role and Cody Drameh on the right, supporting the three central defenders of Charlie Hughes, John Egan and Paddy McNair.
Coyle may well come back in at left-back with Drameh continuing to play on the right in the absence of Ryan Giles, Matty Jacob and Akin Famewo.
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Jakirovic operated with three central defenders on Tuesday, with Egan, Hughes and McNair all impressing, and none of those would deserve to lose their place, but may well do if he changes shape. Further forward, Joe Gelhardt and Lewis Koumas caught the eye, with Kyle Joseph rested.
Albion went 4-4-2 in their 1-1 draw with Southampton on Wednesday night, so Jakirovic may look to match up against that, and that could see the return of Matt Crooks, who is available again after suspension.
Jakirovic would be loath to change Regan Slater and Amir Hadziahmetovic, both of whom played well in Wrexham. Mo Belloumi is back and got himself a useful cameo on Tuesday, but Jakirovic will want to be cautious with his influential Algerian winger.
City’s predicted XI: Pandur, Coyle, McNair, Hughes, Drameh, Slater, Amir, Crooks, Millar, Gelhardt, McBurnie.
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