City start a key period with successive home games
Barry Cooper Hull City correspondent
12:47, 20 Feb 2026
Liam Millar reacts to Hull City's draw with Watford
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Liam Millar reacts to Hull City's draw with Watford(Image: George Wood/Getty Images)
Hull City resume their quest for points in the race for promotion on Saturday when they host out of form QPR in the first of two huge MKM Stadium outings in the next four days.
Boss Sergej Jakirovic will be hoping his side can regain their fine form which has deserted them in the past couple of weeks, and to do so, he’s likely to revert to his strongest line-up.
The City chief made six changes for the FA Cup defeat to Chelsea last Friday night, resting Charlie Hughes and Oli McBurnie as precautions.
McBurnie will likely return to the starting XI in place of Lewis Koumas who led the line against the Blues, while Hughes’ groin problem that has been managed in the past month will be assessed.
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Matty Jacob is absent with a medial collateral ligament issue in his knee, and while Matt Crooks is edging closer to a return this weekend will come too soon. Semi Ajayi is expected back in training next week which is good news for the Tigers, though assuming Hughes isn’t risked at the beginning of a relentless schedule, Paddy McNair will continue alongside John Egan.
Once again, Jakirovic’s biggest decision comes on the flanks. Loan player Yu Hirakawa and Liam Millar were given the nod for the visit of Liam Rosenior’s Premier League side, but Koumas could be given opportunity to impress.
So, too, could Kieran Dowell. The playmaker netted his first goal in the defeat to Bristol City in their last league game, while Kyle Joseph will be pushing for a return after being hauled off at half-time in that loss to the Robins.
City’s predicted starting XI: Pandur; Giles, Egan, McNair, Coyle; Lundstram, Slater, Dowell, Millar, Hirakawa, McBurnie.
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