The Tigers host the Blades in a bid Yorkshire derby this weekend
Barry Cooper Hull City correspondent
15:06, 02 Oct 2025
Hull City’s Matt Crooks celebrates after scoring against Oxford United in mid-August in his last outing(Image: Scott Heppell/PA Wire)
Hull City will welcome back Matt Crooks into their squad for Saturday’s Yorkshire derby with Sheffield United at the MKM Stadium in what will be a timely boost for the Tigers.Crooks has not played since the second game of the season, having been hurt in a challenge during the 3-2 win over Oxford United, and his absence has been keenly felt.The playmaker, who scored his debut Tigers goal at Bramall Lane in the 3-0 win back in January, is likely to start on the bench, where he’ll be joined by Semi Ajayi, who returned to the fold on Tuesday night against Preston North End, though he didn’t get on the pitch in the pulsating 2-2 comeback.
City will still be without wingers Joel Ndala and Mohamed Belloumi, with the pair not expected back until after the international break.
Elsewhere, Ryan Giles has trained normally since limping off on Tuesday night with cramp, and Brandon Williams is pushing for a return to the squad.
“We will decide tomorrow,” Jakirovic said of Crooks, who came through training on Thursday and looked in good shape. “We will decide tomorrow, but he’s fine and Semi is fine.
“Of course, they didn’t play for the last six or seven weeks. Semi hasn’t played since Coventry and Crooksy, since Oxford, so it’s been a long time. We’ll decide tomorrow (Friday), but I’m very, very satisfied because they have joined the group in training.
“Joel Ndala will be available after the international break for sure, he’ll be joining in full training with the group.
“Mo (Bellouomi) is in the same situation. He has to be patient, and so do we. It’s still between six and eight weeks. Eight weeks is the maximum, but we’re expecting six weeks.”
Jakirovic must decide whether or not to make personnel changes to his side, having kept faith with Cody Drameh on the right side of midfield, and bringing in Kasey Palmer for Joe Gelhardt.
City’s first-half display was really poor, and at the break, he made a triple change with Gelhardt, Regan Slater and Liam Millar all coming on for Palmer, Drameh and Amir Hadziahmetovic, and the impact of those changes will be on his mind when he makes his selection this weekend.
“Of course, because they made a big impact on the team,” he said when asked if he’d been given food for thought. “They completely changed the picture on the pitch. If you didn’t see the game in the first half and you saw the second half, you’d be wondering how it was 0-2.
“They changed everything. We had very good possession with Joff (Gelhardt) and Reegsy (Regan Slater) in between the lines, which was very good and automatically you’re very dangerous in front of the opponent’s goal.
“OK, we played a game without normal natural wingers, but this is not the reason why we conceded two goals. It was not the system and players, because the corner and this short pass (caused the goal) and then after we saved this. That was my doubt before this game: who will play Reegsy (Slater), Joffo (Gelhardt), and Cody? This is why I said to you it was my mistake.”
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