City are just one game away from a return to the Premier League
Sergej Jakirovic has a big decision to make over his play-off fina team selection(Image: Pedro Porru/MB Media/Getty Images)
Hull City head coach Sergej Jakirovic will be forced into at least one change for Saturday’s play-off final against Middlesbrough at Wembley Stadium.
Kyle Joseph’s ankle injury, which he sustained in the first half of the second leg win at Millwall, keeps him out, which opens up the opportunity for match-winner Mo Belloumi to return to the starting line-up.
The City head coach could also deploy Joe Gelhardt wide as he has done so often this season, but after his semi-final display at The Den, Belloumi is surely pushing for a start in the club’s biggest game for a decade.
Jakirovic opted to go with a back three at The Den, and it worked a treat with Semi Ajayi coming back in to sure things up, allowing Ryan Giles and Lewie Coyle to press forward.
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Matt Crooks and Regan Slater were at their very best in the middle of the park, and they’ll need that control against Boro, especially if, as expected, Hayden Hackney returns after a lengthy spell out injured.
Liam Millar is expected to start on the left, and Belloumi could come in on the right, with Oli McBurnie through the middle. Keeping that formation would be sensible in a bid to quell Boro’s threats.
Cody Drameh and Amir Hadziahmetovic are back in the squad and available for the final, while David Akintola has been registered and could be in the squad.
The key decision for Jakirovic will be around his formation. In the 4-1 hammering against Boro in early December, City went with a back four with Slater and Amir Hadziahmetovic deployed in front of the back four in his favoured 4-3-3 shape. City were cut to pieces in the first half and were four down at the break.
Jakirovic showed his tactical ability in the return game at the Riverside Stadium three weeks later, when he went with a back three and won the game 1-0. Given that shape stifled Boro and worked so well at Millwall in the semi, that must be a major consideration for the Tigers boss.
City’s predicted starting XI: Pandur, Giles, Egan, Ajayi, Hughes, Coyle, Slater, Crooks, Millar, Belloumi, McBurnie.
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