Hull City Vs Derby County: Eustace and Gelhardt demand reaction at MKM Stadium
Hull City vs Derby County is set to be a must-win midweek test after both clubs suffered weekend defeats, with Derby boss John Eustace calling for a collective response following a 2-0 loss at Watford and Joe Gelhardt urging Hull to "put it right" after a 3-1 reverse to Queens Park Rangers.
Eustace demands a reaction after Vicarage Road
Derby’s 2-0 defeat at Vicarage Road left John Eustace blunt about his players’ display, and he has urged the squad to take responsibility and respond at the MKM Stadium. Eustace spoke to RamsTV before the game and said the players and staff were united in their dissatisfaction with the performance.
He added that the group trained on Monday morning, with "a couple [of returning players] out there" but that the staff were unsure of their physical status and would "give them another day and then we'll see tomorrow. " Eustace warned it is never ideal to have injuries in the Championship because "the amount of games and the schedule is always very demanding, " and said whoever is picked for the game must deliver a competitive performance.
Hull City Vs Derby County at the MKM Stadium
Hull arrive lying fifth in the Sky Bet Championship table after 32 matches, with 54 points from 16 victories, six draws and 10 defeats, while Derby are six points behind the Tigers this Tuesday evening. The match will be played at the MKM Stadium and represents a significant fixture in both clubs’ playoff races.
Both sides go into the game off defeats: Hull lost 3-1 to Queens Park Rangers, with Joe Gelhardt pulling one back and scoring his first goal of 2026, while Derby went down 2-0 at Watford. Gelhardt described the QPR loss as "not good enough" and said Hull must put it right on Tuesday.
Form, history and the stakes
Hull are on a three-game winless run in the league and are winless in their last six matches against Derby, losing five of those and with their last victory over the Rams coming in October 2019. A preview dated 22 Feb 2026 20: 56 noted that Derby sit three points behind sixth-placed Wrexham, meaning a win for the Rams would tighten the race for the play-off places.
Eustace has won all three of his away league games against Hull and his sides kept a clean sheet in each. Derby are aiming to win three consecutive away league games against the Tigers for the first time in their history after back-to-back 1-0 victories. The visitors also bring a strong midweek record — unbeaten in their last 11 midweek league fixtures, with seven wins and four draws, conceding five goals in that run since a 1-0 loss to Sunderland in January 2025 — and have won each of their last three away league games against Yorkshire sides after previously losing nine consecutive visits to the county.
Team news, absences and possible XI
Hull will be without Semi Ajayi, Darko Gyabi, Eliot Matazo, Matt Crooks, Toby Collyer and Mohamed Belloumi, and there is concern over Yu Hirakawa, who was withdrawn in the second half against QPR after going down with an injury. Derby will be without Sondre Langas and Max Johnston, both ruled out with hamstring injuries.
Eustace is unlikely to make wholesale changes but may freshen his side. Carlton Morris — referred to in pre-match comments as a player the club must protect after 30 minutes on Saturday and who "has to earn the right to start" — was on the bench last time and is a candidate to start. Morris leads the club’s scoring charts alongside Patrick Agyemang and netted in the reverse fixture earlier in the campaign.
One possible lineup listed for the tie is: Pandur; Giles, McNair, Egan, Coyle; Hadziahmetovic, Slater; Dowell, Gelhardt, Millar; McBurnie.
Players, pitch and what to expect
Joe Gelhardt acknowledged the state of the MKM Stadium pitch is far from ideal but rejected it as an excuse, noting QPR also played on the surface and saying players must adapt. He added that the run of fixtures is intense: Hull have seven games in 21 days, and Tuesday offers a chance to regain momentum and breathing space in a busy spell.
Eustace stressed the group is connected and that the dressing room conversation after Watford was constructive rather than personal, saying "it's business, and it's about us improving and getting better all the time" and that the Championship can change quickly — "it's not just in a year, it can change in a week. " He also said the staff will mix on-field work with classroom preparation and will "leave no stone unturned. "
hull city vs derby county is therefore framed as a six-pointer with clear knockout implications: a win for Derby would tighten the gap to the play-off places, while a Hull victory would strengthen their hold on fifth as the busy schedule continues. The next confirmed event is the midweek fixture at the MKM Stadium on Tuesday evening.
