Hull City Receives Significant Injury Boost Before Pivotal Easter Weekend

Hull City return to Championship action after a two-week international break. The squad travels to the Kassam Stadium for a Good Friday fixture on April 3, 2026.

Positive availability news

Lewie Coyle and Charlie Hughes are fit to be involved. Both should be available for selection against Oxford United.

Coyle missed the win over Sheffield Wednesday while managing an ankle problem. Hughes sat out one game after a red card during the 3-0 defeat at West Brom.

Setbacks and timelines

Regan Slater will be sidelined after aggravating an ankle injury. Manager Sergej Jakirovic expects Slater to need around six weeks to recover.

Jakirovic suggested the timescale might shorten to about five weeks. That would potentially allow returns for fixtures versus Charlton or Norwich.

Other injured and returning players

Paddy McNair and Semi Ajayi trained after returning early from international duty. Both are fit enough to join the squad.

Amir Hadziahmetovic, Lewis Koumas, Liam Millar and Ivor Pandur also returned from international commitments. They are expected to feature despite heavy travel.

Players still absent

Hull City will be without Ryan Giles, Matty Jacob, Eliot Matazo, Yu Hirakawa, Darko Gyabi and Akin Famewo for Good Friday. Some of those names are nearing full training.

Gyabi and Jacob are close to first-team training. Hirakawa is making quicker-than-expected progress and could be an option against Birmingham on April 18.

Individual recovery updates

• Paddy McNair had hip discomfort. Northern Ireland released him early and he trained normally.
• Darko Gyabi passed a medical in London and has begun team work.
• Akin Famewo remains on individual work, with group sessions possible next week.

Manager perspective and preparation

Jakirovic returned to Croatia during the break. He said the time off was mentally beneficial for the staff and players.

He praised Amir for joining Bosnia and Herzegovina at the World Cup. Jakirovic noted it is a rare achievement for a Hull player in decades.

The manager warned about Oxford’s aerial threat. He noted they have several players over six feet tall.

Controlling set pieces will be crucial. Jakirovic stressed focus and restraint in those moments.

Context and season run-in

Hull prepare for two big games over the pivotal Easter weekend. There are seven league matches remaining in the campaign.

The return of Coyle and Hughes represents an important injury boost ahead of this period. The club will aim to build momentum from Friday’s trip.

Manager updates and squad news were provided to Filmogaz.com ahead of the Oxford trip. The team will meet at their hotel on Thursday evening.