'It was fatigue' - Hull City assistant coach reveals why Ajayi was forced off against Man Utd
'It was fatigue' - Hull City assistant coach reveals why Ajayi was forced off against Man Utd
Hull City assistant head coach Dean Holden has provided an update on the fitness of Super Eagles defender Semi Ajayi ahead of their Carabao Cup clash against Stoke City on Tuesday.
The Nigerian defender started the campaign brilliantly, scoring the opener with a close-range finish as the Tigers secured a 2-0 victory over Manchester United at the MKM Stadium.
Despite his impressive performance, Ajayi was forced off in the second half after appearing to struggle with a hamstring problem, with former Manchester United defender Paddy McNair taking his position in the 65th minute.
The incident raised concerns over the fitness of the experienced defender following Hull City's return to the Premier League.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of the clash against the Potters, Holden stressed the importance of managing the squad while also giving other players an opportunity to gain valuable minutes.
"The squad's going to be very, very important to us, as you'll see tomorrow night, we'll make some changes. It's a game we want to win tomorrow, but equally, we do need to get players up to speed," assistant head coach Dean Holden said.
"A few of the players that have come in were not quite ready yet for the first game, so we'll try and get some minutes into them, hopefully the lads that came off will be OK."
Providing a further update on Ajayi's situation, Holden suggested that fatigue rather than a serious injury was responsible for the defender's early withdrawal.
"The first signs were that it was mainly fatigue, a little bit of cramp, certainly in the two centre backs (Ajayi and Mendy) and Gilo (Ryan Giles) as well," he concluded.
The Super Eagles defender is now expected to be rested for Tuesday's Carabao Cup encounter against Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium.
However, Hull City will be hoping Ajayi can recover fully and return to contention for their Premier League clash against Coventry City over the weekend.
Adeyemi Adewale
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