Hull City

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There have been plenty of contentious decisions in the 2025-26 Championship season so far.

Offside goals given, perfectly good goals ruled out, red card offences missed, penalties not given, dubious spot-kicks awarded. You name it.

With the video assistant referee (VAR) only used for the play-off final, the outcome of every second-tier game in the regular season can hinge on how on-field officials see incidents in real time.

• Would you want VAR introduced for every league game in the Championship?

• If so, why?

• And if not, let us know your reasons.

You can share your thoughts on VAR here or comment below, and we will publish a follow-up article soon with a selection of your responses.

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Hartlepool United have extended the loan of Calvin Okike until the end of the season.

The 18-year-old defender joined last month from Hull City and has made three appearances for Pools, scoring on debut in their 3-1 win over Carlisle United.

Hull City boss Sergej Jakirovic spoke to BBC Radio Humberside after his side's 3-0 defeat at West Brom.

"I knew that they had quality and they are fighting relegation. They brought a lot of energy to the pitch and this is the reason we lost today," he said.

"I think it's about energy and courage when you have the ball. They were better today.

"Also we had a lack of concentration. On the first goal Ivor must kick the ball longer and the red card came from nothing, it was bad from Charlie. It's football, it can happen.

(On Lewie Coyle injury) "I'm not optimistic because he has a protective boot on. We'll see after an examination what the damage is. He got kicked on the same ankle he already had a problem on."

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Hull City midfielder Eliot Matazo may not play again this season after picking up a quad injury to derail his recovery from knee surgery, boss Sergej Jakirovic has confirmed.

The Belgian faces a further "three or four weeks" on the sidelines after being withdrawn from an Under-21's game, having already been absent from the squad for over a year because of his knee ligament injury.

"Our target is that he's completely ready for pre-season," Jakirovic told BBC Radio Humberside.

"We will see. If there is any chance to play, we can do that but first of all, he must be healthy."

Striker Oli McBurnie and midfielder Amir Hadziahmetovic have recovered from the illness that kept them out of the 2-1 win at Wrexham and will be available for the game against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Right-back Lewie Coyle will also be fit for the trip to the Hawthorns, but winger Mohamed Belloumi is unlikely to start after playing his first minutes since December in north Wales.

"We will try to increase his minutes in the next game," Jakirovic added.

"It's very important that he stays healthy. We will see, I can't predict the future."

Midfielder Darko Gyabi is expected to return to training next week but is still "far away" from playing in the Championship.

Listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds

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West Bromwich Albion and Hull City will be searching for points to strengthen their positions at opposing ends of the table when they meet at the Hawthorns on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Baggies currently find themselves in 23rd place on the table but just one point away from safety to give them a hope of exiting the bottom three with a home win.

The Tigers, meanwhile, are comfy in the play-off positions, sitting nine points above seventh placed Southampton but also only six adrift of second placed Middlesbrough as things stand.

• West Brom are unbeaten in their last nine home league games against Hull (W7 D2) since losing 3-0 in October 2008 in the Premier League.

• Hull City are looking to complete their first league double over West Brom since the 1909-10 season.

• Since 2016-17, James Morrison will be the eighth different West Brom manager in eight home league games against Hull (after Pulis, Shan, Bilic, Ismael, Bruce, Corberan and Mowbray).

• Hull City have won 10 of their last 14 league matches when starting the day 20+ points ahead of their opponents in the table (D2 L2).

• Hull's Oli McBurnie has scored three goals in six Championship appearances against West Bromwich Albion, including the winner at the MKM Stadium earlier this season.

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Hull City's goal hero Lewis Koumas says it was important for them to bounce back after successive defeats against promotion rivals Ipswich and Millwall.

The 20-year-old Liverpool loanee scored the winner as the Tigers won 2-1 at sixth placed Wrexham.

Hull are fifth in the table, with a nine-point cushion to seventh, and six points behind second-placed Middlesbrough ahead of Boro's home game with Charlton on Wednesday.

"We really needed that," Koumas told BBC Radio Humberside.

"I think we should have won the game against Millwall, we had a lot of chances, but that's football, that's the Championship, and we've bounced back.

"All the lads inside the dressing room and around the place know how good every individual is, and what they can bring, and what the team can bring."

Koumas has now scored three goals in 10 matches since joining on loan in the January transfer window.

"It's always a great feeling to have any impact on a game, so to do it a few times now is just a great feeling to help the team and get three points," he added.

"I'm loving my time here, just developing. I'm not too fussed starting, or coming on. I'm just loving doing the best job for Hull City."

The former Liverpool academy graduate spent the 2024-2025 season on loan at Stoke and began this campaign at Birmingham.

"When you're happy at a place, it kicks you on even more. I just want to do well for all the people supporting you and watching on, so I'm definitely a hard worker, and I love defending," he said.

"Being happy at a place is really important, in your surroundings and with the people around you. It has a big impact on confidence."

After stumbling against their promotion rivals recently, Hull City's next three games are against the current bottom three teams - West Brom, Sheffield Wednesday and Oxford United.

"We won't be treating any side differently," he said.

"We're going in with the exact same mentality every game, and that's to win and put a shift in."

Hull City manager Sergej Jakirovic stressed how important the three points were to his team after their 2-1 win at Wrexham.

The Tigers returned to winning ways following back-to-back defeats against Ipswich and Millwall to boost their play-off hopes.

Jakirovic told BBC Radio Humberside: "We played a very good game. It's a very important three points and a very big victory against Wrexham, who are a very good team.

"They have already shown all season they are playing good football, especially at home. They are very dangerous.

"Credit to the lads because I think they played a very good game."

Hull City will have forward Mohamed Belloumi in their squad for Tuesday's Championship match at promotion rivals Wrexham.

The 23-year-old has not played since sustaining a hamstring injury in the Tigers Boxing Day draw at Sheffield Wednesday but assistant boss Dean Holden is relieved to have him back available.

"He's a top player and we've not had him fit enough for long enough this season," Holden told BBC Radio Humberside.

"He's been out since Boxing Day and not had a great deal of training so we'll need to be careful in terms of minutes [we give him] but he's worked really hard in his rehabilitation and has been wanting to get involved."

Fifth-placed Hull suffered a second successive league defeat when beaten 3-1 at home by Millwall on Saturday and are now only three points above Wrexham who are sixth.

"We're getting to the stage of the season where there probably have to be some risks taken but equally we need to mitigate the risk int terms of minutes [for Belloumi], but it's a huge bonus to have him back around it," added Holden.

"He's looked good in training and certainly if we need him he'll be there."

Listen to more Hull City interviews and content on BBC Sounds.

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It's a big game in the Championship play-off race as Wrexham return to league action after their FA Cup exploits to host Hull City on Tuesday night (19:45 GMT).

Hours before the Red Dragons took Chelsea to extra-time before exiting the FA Cup in the fifth round on Saturday, the Tigers were a touch unfortunate to go down 3-1 at home to Millwall in another top-six battle.

It means City are fifth, three points ahead of Wrexham, who now have a game in hand, with seventh-placed Derby leading the play-off chasing pack a further three points adrift.

A home win would see Wrexham into the top-five for the first time this season and a win for either team could apply pressure to fourth-placed Ipswich, who visit Stoke the same evening.

• Wrexham are unbeaten in their past 10 home league games against Hull (W7 D3), with this the first time they're hosting the Tigers since a 2-2 draw in League One in October 2004.

• Following their 2-0 win in December, Hull are looking to complete the league double over Wrexham for the first time since 1948-49.

• Wrexham have won nine of their past 13 league games (D2 L2), though both defeats in that run came in home games.

• Hull City have lost just one of their past nine away league games (W7 D1), though it did come at Ipswich Town last time out on the road.

• Wrexham's Josh Windass has scored three goals in his seven league appearances against Hull. His sides have won all three games in which he scored, but lost all four in which he didn't.

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Hull boss Sergej Jakirovic labelled his side's display against Millwall as their 'best home performance' of his reign despite the 3-1 loss.

The Tigers dominated the game for significant spells but were unable to make it count, with both Kyle Joseph and Charlie Hughes hitting the bar with first-half headers.

Joe Gelhardt cancelled out Jake Cooper's opener for Millwall, but second-half goals from Mihailo Ivanovic and Josh Coburn sentenced the Tigers to defeat.

"This was the best home performance since I've been here because we played a very good game, we created a lot of chances and missed a lot of chances," Jakirovic told BBC Radio Humberside.

"It's always a frustrating defeat when you know you play good but sometimes I'm not happy with our performance and we take one or three points.

"If you didn't watch the game, you'd think Millwall kill you [us] but we were very good and I hope we will continue like this because there are a lot of games in front of us and you never know.

"We made two mistakes (in the second half). We dropped too much, didn't attack the ball but this is football, there is always something happening that you didn't expect and we have to take the lessons from this."

Hull City are confident midfielder Regan Slater will agree a long-term deal with the club, according to head coach Sergej Jakirovic.

The Tigers this week exercised an option to extend the 26-year-old's current contract for a further 12 months and Jakirovic says talks are ongoing about him staying at the Championship club longer.

"We had a conversation and I expressed my thoughts and we agreed and he is happy to stay here," the former Bosnian centre-back told BBC Radio Humberside.

"If the player wants to stay here it is 90% done but it's about finance and I hope we will be able to agree everything."

Meanwhile, Hull have been dealt a further injury blow with the news defender Akin Famewo will be out for a month with a calf muscle injury.

"He went for an MRI scan with a tight calf so he's out for four or five weeks," said Jakiorvic.

Midfielder Amir Hadziahmetovic is doubtful for Saturday's match at home to fourth-placed Millwall after sustaining an ankle injury in Tuesday's defeat by Ipswich, while defender Matt Crooks starts a two-game suspension after collecting a tenth yellow card of the season.

Hull are currently fifth in the Championship, six points short of the automatic promotion places.

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Fourth and fifth in the Championship face-off on Saturday (12:30 GMT) as Millwall head to the MKM Stadium to play Hull City.

The Lions are fourth, four points behind second-placed Middlesbrough and a point behind Ipswich, in third, after four wins in their past five games, most recently 2-0 at Preston last Saturday.

The Tigers edged to a 1-0 win at Portsmouth last Saturday but went down 1-0 at Ipswich in their rearranged game on Tuesday night, their third defeat in five matches, to remain fifth, two points behind Millwall but with a seven-point cushion to the play-off chasing pack.

• Hull are looking for their first league double over Millwall since the 2012-13 campaign under Steve Bruce.

• Millwall are winless in seven league matches against Hull (D3 L4) since a 2-1 win in April 2022 when Gary Rowett was Lions boss.

• Hull have conceded eight goals in their past three home league games, shipping 2+ goals in each game. They last did so in four in a row in August/September 2022.

• Millwall have won their past three away league games – the Lions last had a longer away winning run between January and March 2018 (6 in a row).

• Femi Azeez has been involved in six goals in his past nine Championship appearances for Millwall (2 goals, 4 assists), with three assists across his past five games.

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Earlier we asked what you make of the news that, from next season, the Championship play-offs will be expanded to include the teams finishing seventh and eighth?

It was announced on Thursday morning that EFL clubs voted in favour of expanding the play-offs from four to six teams.

Here's a selection of your comments...

Josh, Derby: I don't believe this is necessary. I do think that the play-off format should be aligned throughout the top five leagues, but expanding isn't needed. Better distribution of the monies involved and establishing a clear matchday structure to balance various men's and women's leagues would be a better use of everyone's time. This strikes me undue American influence.

Callum, Dartford: I think it's a good thing so teams can push for promotion that thought they wouldn't get near the play-offs.

Cato, Sheffield: If we adopted it to this season, it means that eighth-placed Derby (on 51 points) have about as much a chance of going up as third-placed Millwall (on 63 points). Plus, to accommodate the extra games, would they extend the season into June? I don't like the idea of it at all, and I hope it's short-lived.

Steve, London: Another example of football being ruined, week by week. Don't you dare think about implementing VAR too.

Mark, Stafford: As a Stoke fan, I think it's good news. The season has come to a grinding halt due to being decimated by injuries. Add to that, the quality of what is coming down from the Premier League, it would mean upsets can happen and still allow teams in that mid-table race to dream of greater heights!

Richard, Stansted: Absolutely ridiculous. What is the point of a league format if you are going to make it a bigger lottery to include even more teams at the end of the season? It also brings teams that are even less ready to actually be in the Premier League into scope. But mostly it's the undermining of the league format which makes no sense. I'm a Derby fan - and we look like we would have a chance of benefiting from this if it were in place this season.

Andy, Nuneaton: Anything that expands the opportunities for those outside of the parachute teams is a good thing. We need to get away from this elite view of the Premier League. If it was up to them, they'd stop automatic promotion and relegation and have a system like Rugby Union, where it's based on meeting certain criteria. The eighth-placed club in the Championship getting to the PL? Bring it on!

Ron, Hayling: Money, Money, Money. Players complain about the amount of games they play with the league games and cup competitions so the intention is to play even more at the end of the season. Owners will make some money but that's all that matters!

Barry, Dartford: Yes it's a fantastic for everyone, all the small teams as well as the big boys, to have something to play for. It will give the end of the season something to look forward to.

Benjamin, Poole: I'm a Charlton fan, so it's unlikely we'll come 8th in the Championship any time soon, however, this is ridiculous. More pandering to Americans to make it more likely they'll make money, which is the only thing they care about. Sporting integrity out of the window again. Shame as I felt the Championship was the last bastion of quality and integrity combined. Game has gone.

Broughton, Derby: Absolute ridiculous, put it back to the old days of three straight up, no play-offs. If you don't make top-three you don't deserve to go up.

Julian, London: The worst decision from a footballing point of view ever! The National League teams have been trying to change their system to be like the current EFL system so it seems a very strange decision for the EFL to take. You can finish 8th after 46 games and still get promoted - sporting integrity has been totally lost with this decision. Money over integrity every time!

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Hull City have exercised their option to extend Regan Slater's contract by a further year meaning the midfielder is under agreement until 2027.

The 26-year-old joined the side on loan from Sheffield United in 2020 before making the switch permanent in January 2022.

Slater has been a mainstay on boss Sergej Jakirovic's teamsheet, making an appearance in all 35 of the side's Championship games this season.

Of those 35 fixtures, he has played all 90 minutes in 21 games, scoring twice and making two assists.

Hull manager Sergej Jakirovic said his side's approach was the right one in the narrow 1-0 defeat at Ipswich.

The Tigers frustrated the hosts for large periods but were undone by a superb strike from Azor Matusiwa.

Jakirovic told BBC Radio Humberside: "Ipswich were the better side but they did not have many chances. They started to play with three number 10s and we got too deep.

"The goal I cannot understand. We must take the ball. We had five players there and they had one.

"We tried to push and create something but we could not score the goal. They have very good players who are technically fantastic, so we had a low block and it worked apart from needing better decisions.

"Our idea was good. They have a bigger budget and this is the only way we can compete with them."