Abel stand-in for Niasse

Hull City manager Marco Silva says uruguay striker Abel Hernandez can fill the boots of Oumar Niasse, who is set to miss the next three games after his straight red card on Saturday.

Hull are fuming that M’Baye Niang’s dramatic fall influenced referee Bobby Madley but Senegal striker Niasse did make contact with his opponent’s shin so it is unlikely any appeal would succeed.

it means Hernandez, a substitute against Watford, will play a big part in clashes with Southampton, Sunderland and Crystal Palace.

Silva said: ‘Abel was injured when i arrived but now he’s started to play and i like him a lot.

‘ He did everything we asked when he came on and we are more of a team when he shows this behaviour. He can do fantastic things.’

Hernandez was top scorer when Hull won promotion but has only five goals this season and reportedly wanted a move in January.

Hull players were annoyed with Niang for Niasse’s soft dismissal after 25 minutes, even though they went on to win through lazar Markovic and Sam Clucas.

Clucas said: ‘ Oumar caught him, definitely a freekick, maybe a yellow at the most but the player’s reaction overdid it. i saw him pull his sock down and there was no mark so it can’t have been that bad. Maybe the ref took his scream into consideration.’