Latest on the City injury front with good and bad news
James Smailes Head of All Out Rugby League and Yorkshire sport at Reach plc
13:37, 19 Feb 2026
Matty Jacob in action against Watford
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Matty Jacob in action against Watford(Image: Zach Forster/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Hull City have been dealt an injury blow with the news defender Matty Jacob has been ruled out for potentially two months after sustaining an MCL injury in training this week. The 24-year-old, who has played 22 times for City so far this season, will miss the entirety of a busy period coming up and is unlike to return until the final few games of the league season.
City will also be without new signing Toby Collyer for the next two weeks, but Matt Crooks is closing in on a return in the next week, while experienced defender Semi Ajayi has started running again and is due to return to full training next week alongside. As will Eliot Matazo, who is yet to feature for the Tigers this season. Matazo is being carefully looked after and has trained with the first team, just in a non contact situation so far.
Charlie Hughes remains a small doubt to play against Queens Park Rangers on Saturday, but Oli McBurnie is fit and expected to return to the line-up.
"Collyer will be two more weeks out, he has individual training sessions at the minute," explained City boss Sergej Jakirovic, when asked to give an injury update.
"Crooksy looks like he will be available for Portsmouth away, Semi Ajayi, next week he will start group training with us. We do have a problem though with Matty Jacob. Matty had a non contact injury in Tuesday's training session and there is an MCL grade two injury, so we will lose him for six to eight weeks. It means we have lost an option at left full-back.
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"Eliot Matazo is back training with the group, but not in contact. He will start contact next week and we will try get him some minutes with the Under-21s. We are very happy he is back in training with us."
City's injury list will clear somewhat in the next few weeks, but that doesn't bring much relief in the immediacy with so many games to play in such a short space of time meaning even a two-week absence could see the Tigers without a player for four or five games.
A positive, however, is the fitness and freshness of the rest of the squad, who benefitted from having a weekend off due to the Friday night FA Cup fixture.
"The lads are good and we have had a chance to reset and get the energy back for these seven games we have now in the next three weeks. The players 100 percent needed the rest."
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