The Tigers still cannot catch a break as absentees continue to bite
Matt Crooks is facing a spell on the sidelines (Image: George Wood/Getty Images)
Hull City’s wretched luck with injuries this season has hit them again with the news that Matt Crooks is set to miss the next month with a hamstring injury.
The influential midfielder has been a huge part of City’s remarkable rise this season, but has been nursing an issue in recent weeks and scans have revealed damage that will take time to recover from.
Crooks is not expected to feature during the bulk of February, with the Tigers set to play six games, with five of those coming in the Championship plus Chelsea in the FA Cup.
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City will also be without left-back Ryan Giles on Saturday when they travel to Blackburn Rovers, aiming to win a fourth away game on the spin.
Boss Sergej Jakirovic had initially pencilled Giles in for a return at Ewood Park, but he’s not yet back in full training and will therefore not be considered this weekend, or against Watford on Tuesday night, though it’s hoped he could make his comeback from a hamstring issue when Bristol City visit the MKM Stadium on Saturday week.
City’s squad will be boosted by the arrival of defender Paddy McNair, who saw his permanent move from San Diego FC confirmed on Wednesday, while Toby Collyer and Lewis Koumas are also expected to be involved with their moves from Manchester United and Liverpool, likely to be announced on Friday.
Collyer has been nursing a calf injury prior to his move to East Yorkshire and will be assessed, but Koumas and McNair are fit and ready to feature.
Oli McBurnie is fine and has come through training after he had ice on his foot, having been brought off against Swansea City last weekend, and the club have no other fresh concerns.
The Tigers will still be without Cody Drameh (quad), Mo Belloumi (hamstring), Darko Gyabi (groin), Semi Ajayi (hamstring) and Eliot Matazo (knee). Enis Destan, although currently nursing a knee injury, is joining Westerlo on loan for the rest of the season to allow Koumas’ move from Anfield.
“He (Crooks) will be four weeks off with a hamstring problem,” Jakirovic told Hull Live. “Now he’s in therapy, and we will see. I think by the end of February, he will join us.
“What can we do? It’s another one, and I can expect more because it’s a lot of games, so every game is very, very difficult, very demanding on the hard pitches as well.
“He has nine bookings, and when he joins us again, he will get the yellow card, so he will have two games off,” he joked. “This is his style of playing; he covers a lot of on-pitch 12K every game, so it’s normal. He’s not a robot; he is a human being as well. Even in Preston, he played already on 70, 80 per cent fitness.
“I’m very grateful to Matt. Even with this injury against Leicester, when he postponed his surgery on his shoulder, we will see after this season what he will do.
“Cody is also in therapy. He’s already on the pitch, which is good. I think at the end of February he will join us, which is great for us and is great news.
On Matazo, Jakirovic said the Belgian midfielder is still around a month away from being able to be considered for a first-team return, more than 12 months since he suffered his ACL injury at Cardiff.
“I think one or two weeks ago, they told me six weeks until he is back,” the Croatian continued. “He’s on the pitch, he warms up with us, and then he goes individually with Matt Busby (fitness coach). We try to increase his load, and there is no reaction, which is good, and then we will be looking forward to him joining the team.”
Semi Ajayi, Mo Belloumi and Darko Gyabi remain locked into their recovery plans, but won’t return to action before the back end of the season at the earliest.
“He’s on the table,” Jakirovic said of Belloumi. “He’s also having his therapy. Maybe he (Belloumi) can finish the season. Darko is in therapy. Everything is predicted to be eight to 12 weeks. Surgery was very good, and the doctor is very satisfied.”
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