City face a pivotal Yorkshire derby this weekend
Lewie Coyle was helped off the Hawthorns pitch last weekend (Image: Pro Sports Images)
Hull City head coach Sergej Jakirovic will once again be forced into changes when he looks to mastermind a victory over bottom-side Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.
Charlie Hughes is suspended after his sending off at West Brom last weekend, while Lewie Coyle will sit the game out after aggravating his ankle problem in what turned out to be a disastrous first half for the Tigers in the Black Country.
That means Jakirovic will have to again put square pegs in round holes, given he has only one fit full-back in Cody Drameh, owing to Coyle’s absence, along with Ryan Giles, Akin Famewo and Matty Jacob.
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Regan Slater could be pulled from midfield and deployed at right-back, as he was in the final stages of the win at Wrexham earlier this month, while Paddy McNair could also operate in that position.
McNair playing on the right side would save Slater from being removed from midfield, where he’s excelled in recent weeks. Jakirovic, though, is not short of options in the engine room this weekend with Slater, Matt Crooks, John Lundstram, Kieran Dowell, Toby Collyer and Amir Hadziahmetovic all capable of playing there.
City missed Amir’s control at West Brom, and he may well come back into the starting XI, having been nursed through the past couple of games, given he’s been managing an ankle injury.
Jakirovic has gone with a back three in the past two games, and while that worked for the most part against Wrexham until Issa Kabore came on, they were torn to shreds down their left at The Hawthorns.
Liam Millar has been playing at left wing-back, but that decision was exposed last weekend, and the Croatian may well be keen to try and tighten up that side against Wednesday.
The City chief may also look to try and get Matt Crooks further forward, compared to sitting in the centre of the park as he did against Albion, in a system that just didn’t work.
He may also consider handing a first start to Mo Belloumi since he suffered a second hamstring injury of the season against the Owls at Hillsborough on Boxing Day.
City’s predicted starting XI: Pandur, Drameh, Ajayi, Egan, McNair, Slater, Amir, Gelhardt, Millar, Crooks, McBurnie.
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