ARSENAL ARE BIG FAVOURITES, BUT HULL ARE READY TO FIGHT – JAKIROVIĆ
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By: Hammad Fasasi
Hull City head coach, Sergej Jakirović, has admitted that Arsenal are favourites ahead of their Premier League clash on Saturday but insists his side are prepared to give the hosts a difficult challenge.
Jakirović made the remarks ahead of Hull’s trip to the Emirates Stadium, where the club will mark its 200th Premier League appearance before the November international break.
Arsenal, under manager Mikel Arteta, currently lead the Premier League table after winning eight of their opening nine matches, including their last four fixtures against Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, Everton and Liverpool.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday, Jakirović acknowledged Arsenal’s strength but expressed confidence in his team’s preparations.
“They are playing very good football, no matter what competition. Whether it is Champions League or Premier League, they are very strong and control everything.
“We have prepared something, but obviously they are big favourites, and we will try and make it difficult for them. I have watched a lot of games of Arsenal to try and find something, but they are brilliant. They are a very strong team no matter who will play,” he said.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had earlier warned his players against underestimating newly promoted Hull City ahead of the encounter.
Saturday’s fixture will also be a special occasion for Hull defender Brooke Norton-Cuffy, who is set to return to the club where he spent 10 years developing his football career.
Norton-Cuffy joined Arsenal at the age of 10 and left a decade later after progressing through the club’s youth system and gaining experience through several loan spells.
Reflecting on his return to north London, the defender said he had fond memories of his time at Arsenal but would approach the fixture like any other match.
“I look back on my time at Arsenal with fond memories. I was at Arsenal since I was 10. I left at the age of 20 and had a few loan spells, so I learnt a lot. I went from a boy to a man there.
“I know a few familiar faces, but that is football. You always see a lot of familiar faces so for me, it is just another game. They won the league last year and are the best team in the league at the moment now, so it will be a difficult game. They will have a lot of the ball and cause us problems,” he said.
Norton-Cuffy also compared his experience in Italy’s Serie A with the Premier League, identifying the pace and intensity of English football as major differences.
“Tempo and pace. The intensity of the games in the Prem are just so much quicker. Serie A, you had a lot more time on the ball. It is a bit more tactical with the shape side of things,” he said.
He added that Premier League players have less time on the ball because opponents press aggressively, making the game more intense.
Meanwhile, Arsenal head into the fixture following an impressive run in domestic and European competitions. They have recorded Champions League victories over Napoli, Lille and Slavia Prague, alongside a draw against Bayern Munich.
The Gunners also won the Community Shield with a 3-0 victory over Manchester City but suffered a fourth-round Carabao Cup exit after losing on penalties to League Two side Fleetwood Town.
For Hull, Japanese international Hidemasa Morita remains a doubt for the trip to London as he undergoes another scan on a recurring groin injury.
Jakirović explained that the problem affects the same leg as Morita’s previous injury but is located slightly higher.
“Morita will do one more scan as there is a groin abductor problem. It is the same leg like last time, but a little higher so we will see. Maybe he will be out for this game, but it is normal. I expected these problems as he was not in pre-season with us,” he said.
The Hull manager, however, reported no other fresh injury concerns and provided updates on Charlie Hughes, Ilyas Ansah and Lucas Gourna-Douath.
He disclosed that Hughes had returned to group training and was expected to play 45 minutes against Fleetwood’s Under-21 side. Ansah, meanwhile, was undergoing individual training and could rejoin group sessions in four weeks.
Jakirović also expressed pride in Hull reaching the milestone of 200 Premier League appearances, describing it as a significant achievement for the club and its supporters.
“Very proud for the whole club. It’s not a small number, 200 appearances and we know how difficult it can be in the Premier League and stay in the Premier League, so it is very nice for us and for Hull City supporters,” he said.
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