The latest news from the MKM Stadium ahead of the crucial weekend visit of Birmingham City
Cody Drameh looks set to be sidelined for the rest of the season(Image: Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Hull City are expecting more bad news on the injury front after Cody Drameh was forced off during Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United.
Drameh departed after just 20 minutes with City leading 1-0 thanks to Oli McBurnie’s early goal, and was replaced by Paddy McNair at Bramall Lane.
The defender, who missed the early weeks of the New Year with a quad problem, appears to have suffered a recurrence of that issue, which, Hull Live understands, will likely rule him out of the remaining month of the season and a potential play-off campaign.
It’s thought City are awaiting the final results of Drameh’s scan, but initial tests suggest bad news for the 24-year-old, who had started the last eight league games.
Losing Drameh at this stage of the campaign will come as a major blow to boss Sergej Jakirovic and the player himself, after re-establishing himself in the starting XI and delivering a string of impressive performances since coming back into the side at Ipswich Town early last month.
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There is more positive news, however, with Yu Hirakawa expected back in training this week as he recovers from an ankle injury which threatened to end his season. It’s hoped Hirakawa could even be in the squad that faces Birmingham City this weekend, as the Tigers look to return to winning ways and claim a first victory in four outings.
City are also set to be boosted by the return to full fitness of Ryan Giles, who, like Hirakawa, is expected back in full training, which is a timely boost given the expected prognosis of Drameh.
Both Toby Collyer and Lewis Koumas were absent from the weekend defeat in the Steel City. Collyer was rested after starting against Coventry City a week ago, which was his first since arriving in January, and just a fourth of the season. Koumas had felt a hamstring niggle, but again, he is set to be back in training this week.
Though he didn’t get on the Bramall Lane pitch, Darko Gyabi was back in the City matchday squad at the weekend, further boosting Jakirovic’s options in the heart of midfield ahead of a potential return before the season ends for Regan Slater and Eliot Matazo.
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