Despite all the recent publicity surrounding Hull City's opposition to restarting the Championship season (including two employees testing positive for COVID-19), the announcement yesterday that the Premier League will resume on June 17th - less than three weeks away - surely suggests that the Championship restart will not be far behind.
The outcome of this can be speculated about, but nothing is certain until the next update from the EFL, which will come after a meeting on June 8th. It looks likely the Championship season will resume and when it does, Hull fans will look on the remaining games still to play with a pessimistic and uncertain attitude.
The reason for this negativity is well founded. Without a win in the league since 1st January, the Tigers' slide into relegation has been alarming since both key men Kamil Grosicki and Jarrod Bowen left for West Brom and West Ham respectively. Without the two play makers that City have been so dependent on this season, who are the players that Grant McCann needs to rely on to help his team beat the drop?
1. Reece Burke
Making the most appearances out of all the defenders in the squad, Burke is clearly trusted by his manager. The ex-West Ham youngster was missing for the last two shocking results (0-4 at home to Leeds United and then 1-5 away to Stoke City) before the season's postponement through injury.
He needs to be fit and back to his best to make a defence that was shipping goals for fun into a watertight and disciplined unit.
2. Leonardo Da Silva Lopes
The Ex-Wigan midfielder has a big cult following at the KCOM, with both his quality and workrate never in doubt. He has put in some excellent performances in a Hull shirt, especially in the crazy goalfest of a game against Swansea that finished 4-4 (and could have been 7-7 on another night). His energy and dynamism are what Hull need if or indeed when the season restarts, and although he is still young - only 21 - he needs to be a big part of the squad if the Tigers are to play in the Championship next year.
3. Tom Eaves
Now the club's top scorer with seven goals in all competitions - although only four in the league - the front man must turn his indifferent form into outstanding form if City are going to avoid relegation to the third tier of English football for the first time in fifteen years. Eaves is a big, strong target man - but has struggled to maintain good goal scoring form this season.
Perhaps playing two up front would help - putting local youngster Keane Lewis-Potter as a striking partner could perhaps get the best out of him - as many City fans have been critical of the forward since he signed from Gillingham last summer. This is his chance to write himself into City folklore, and all involved at Hull will be desperate for him to do just that.