Mallik Wilks and Josh Magennis are unavailable for the FA Cup Third Round tie due to be shown on the BBC. 

Head Coach Grant McCann hinted that he will play a strong side to try achieve an upset in his press conference on Thursday afternoon, but admitted he is short of options at this present time. 

  • “We’ll be strong”

“We’ll be strong,” said the Northern Irishman. “We’re in good momentum. Yes, over the last three or four games we’ve lost two and drawn two.

“We want to try and continue with the momentum of that sort of performance, so it’s important to pick a good team.”

“I think if you look at the bigger picture on it, we got robbed at Nottingham Forest, we got robbed in the game at Bristol City - we should have had a free-kick in the last minute - and another controversial decision has cost us the game at Blackpool.”

“In momentum, the way we’ve been over the last four games I think we’ve showed real resilience about us to win four, draw two, and yes we’ve lost a couple, but the form has been good.”

“We see it as an opportunity to try and go through,” he continued. “We don’t go into any game thinking, ‘Ah, it’s a Premier League team, it’s just nice to be on the pitch with them’. We want to try and go through, we want to try and get into the Fourth Round.”

  • “We’re expecting a big following from the home fans”

“We understand they are littered with quality all through their team, but we’re at home, we’re expecting a big following from the home fans to come to the game. It’s live on TV. You know, we want to go and give it a go and see if we can get ourselves into the next round.”

Without his chosen paring of strikers, McCann is left with Tyler Smith and Tom Eaves - a player who two years ago scored a hat-trick in the third round of the FA Cup away at Rotherham United. Eaves will be hoping that history repeats itself, but McCann needs other options. Who can he turn to with new signings unobtainable until Acun Illicali’s takeover materialises?

  • Keane Lewis-Potter

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Having impressed at Left Wing Back since November, Keane Lewis-Pottercan play through the middle as a striker. Admittedly fans have often called for him to start up front as part of a two striker pairing, but until recently that wasn’t in McCann’s way of playing.

With Callum Elder out, though, does McCann keep the local hero on the left? Or will he turn to Brandon Fleming as he returns from a lengthy spell out at left wing back and allow Lewis Potter to play up front?

  • Joshua Hinds 

Josh Hinds made his debut for the Tigers back in August 2021 when he came on as a late substitute against Bournemouth. McCann actually chose him ahead of Tom Eaves at that point and was complimentary about the youngster in his work rate and desire to chase down every ball.

Having seen him play for the U23 this season, he has also had a loan spell away from the club - at Spalding United. Against  Millwall U23 back in August, Hinds was unplayable at times and won two penalties in a 3-1 Hull City win. Deserves a chance to impress.

  • Will Jarvis 

At City since the age of 11, Will Jarvis signed his first professional deal in March 2021 and made his senior debut for the Tigers in August 2021 in the Carabao Cup defeat against Wigan Athletic. He impressively tucked away his penalty in the shootout and made his league debut a week later against Derby County in the Championship. 

McCann is a known admirer of Jarvis and he has been on the bench for the first team on more than one occasion this season. Will this be his time to shine?

  • Illicali in attendance 

Hull City fans will be flocking to buy tickets for this one as it was confirmed today that prospective owner Acun Illicali will be in attendance against Everton - who have already sold their away end out. 

The takeover is yet to be confirmed, but is expected imminently. It has been reported that the Tigers are waiting for official confirmation and a sign off from the EFL, but no real time frame has been revealed.