Hull have been dealt a blow before a ball has been kicked in the crucial meeting at Crystal Palace, on-loan Liverpool winger Lazar Markovic will miss that game and the season finale against Tottenham.
Markovic, injured in the potentially decisive defeat against Sunderland, has seen his loan at the KCOM Stadium cut short. An ankle injury means the Serbian has probably played his last game for Hull as interest from other clubs has grown, who could be lured to pastures new even if City did stay in the Premier League and wanted to do a permanent deal?
His future was always secondary to Hull’s survival bid, it still is, but losing Markovic for the remaining fixtures of the 2016-17 season is a major blow. But, it is what it is, and can’t be changed, so onwards we go.
There was better news delivered on Omar Elabdellaoui, the on-loan defender who has missed the last seven games with a back injury. He’s returned to full training and is in contention for a first team return at Selhurst Park on Sunday.
