Dawson Facing Five Weeks Out

Hull defender Michael Dawson will be out of action for up to five weeks after suffering a grade two hamstring tear against Chelsea.

The 31-year-old limped off early in the 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge last weekend and will definitely miss the busy festive period.

Dawson has already missed a month of the season with an ankle problem but impressed manager Steve Bruce enough to earn the captain's armband for two matches while regular skipper Curtis Davies was dropped.

Bruce's struggling side have dropped to second bottom in recent weeks and must play Swansea, Sunderland, Leicester and Everton in quick succession before an FA Cup third-round tie against Arsenal at the Emirates.

The crucial trip to West Bromwich Albion, on January 10, would be the quickest Dawson could return to City's first-team plans.

"Unfortunately it's a grade two tear and it could be anything from three, four, five weeks minimum I'd have thought," said Bruce.

"That's happened too much to us from the first day of the season with Robert Snodgrass to Dawson, to Nikica Jelavic to Mohamed Diame... it's been one thing after another in that department.

"We could do with a little more luck because we've had four or five with pretty ugly injuries and we could without it."

Senegal midfielder Diame is also still out injured while Scotland winger Snodgrass (dislocated kneecap) is a longer-term absentee.

Tom Huddlestone, sent off against Chelsea, will begin his four-match ban against Swansea on Saturday.