Hull City have fitness concerns going into final day as Tigers boss hails away supporters

Anass Zaroury will miss another Hull City game through injury -Credit:Matt McNulty/Getty Images
Anass Zaroury will miss another Hull City game through injury -Credit:Matt McNulty/Getty Images


Hull City will head to Plymouth on Friday afternoon with question marks over a couple of unnamed players ahead of their crunch final-day showdown at Home Park. City head coach Liam Rosenior has revealed one or two of his playing squad are nursing knocks which could see them miss the 46th game of the Tigers Championship season, and one that could yet see them dramatically clinch a play-off place.

Burnley loanee Anass Zaroury is definitely out of the game as he continues to nurse a groin problem, though it's hoped he would be back to feature in a potential play-off semi-final, should City win and West Brom lose at home to Preston.

Influential playmaker Abdus Omur has also been playing with a niggle in recent weeks and was taken off late on in Saturday's thrilling 3-3 draw with Ipswich Town at the MKM Stadium as a precaution, but he's expected to be fit to feature against the Pilgrims, who themselves, face a nervous final day affair knowing if results go against them, they would be relegated back to League One.

"No changes at all, I've got a couple of decisions, a couple of niggles that I can't speak on who, but I've made a decision with the team already today. I know what the starting XI will be and I also have an idea of what we could look like at the end of the game," Rosenior told Hull Live on the eve of the trip south.

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"He's not going to be available and that's a real shame," he said of Zaroury. "Unless there's a play-off, we'll see. Hopefully, he's still got some more minutes to come in the Hull City shirt.

"That was precautionary. To be fair to Abdus, he's felt a few things. You would never think of it in terms of his performances, the energy he gives us, his press and his quality, he's been top but he's been carrying a few things, so I took him off with 20 minutes to go just to make sure that it gives him the best chance to play in this one. He's going to be available and this is one of the decisions that we have to make."

Rosenior must also decide whether or not to bring Liam Delap back into the starting line-up after coming off the bench to score against Ipswich on Saturday, having started the game just three days before in the win at Coventry.

"You could see after 45 minutes against Ipswich, he was shattered because it's normal," the City boss said. "He's not had the minutes, Noah (Ohio) the same. Noah gives so much in 20 minutes, he looks like he's played 90 by the end of it.

"There are certain games where you could look a certain way at the beginning and you can look a certain way at the end and I sensed Liam would be a better fit for the way we wanted to start against Coventry, but a better fit for how we wanted to end the game against Ipswich.

"That's a decision I'll make along with Noah. Noah's knocking on the door, Ozan, Abdus, Fabio, Adama (Traore) is training unbelievably at the moment, Lewie Coyle - I can move Regan (Slater) into midfield, I could play Coylely at right-back, there's so many different things I can do and that's just all credit to the lads and their engagement and the way that they train every day."

City will be backed by a 1,700-strong sold-out away following in Devon with many setting off on coaches from the MKM Stadium at 2am in order to arrive on the South Coast for the 12:30pm kick-off, and Rosenior was full of praise, not just for those making the long trek there and back, but the backing throughout the campaign.

"Just thank you," he said. "From the bottom of my heart. When I rejoined the club, I said my biggest job, along with Acun and Tan, was to make this club what it was when I was a player here and that atmosphere against Ipswich was up there with the very best I can remember.

"I'm talking about playing against Manchester United under Brucey or Liverpool. There was a connection, an energy and a belief again, it was almost like a celebration that the club was back and that is one of the proudest moments of my career. That game, because it stood for everything that I've wanted to see from the fans, from the players from the board. Everyone was together.

"They've been magnificent, travelling with the money that it costs to follow us home and away, the energy, the spirit, the passion that they've given us makes me really, really proud to wear this badge on my chest, and I just want to do the best job I can possibly do."