Hull plan to stay up for injured Ryan
HULL CITY’S players have prioritised making sure the club is still in the Premier League when Ryan Mason returns to action.
Mason sustained a fractured skull at Chelsea last Sunday and was rushed to hospital for an emergency operation amid fears that the injury was life-threatening.
The news since then has been much more encouraging, though as yet there’s been no indication on when he might play again.
His team-mates return to West London to face Fulham in the FA Cup today, having been boosted by the club’s first-ever win over Manchester United in the EFL Cup, albeit in an aggregate defeat.
However, midfielder Tom Huddlestone makes no secret of the fact that Premier League survival is the main aim, especially in view of his friend’s situation.
“In the evening after the Chelsea game and the next day, we didn’t really know what was happening with Ryan so football goes to the back of your mind,” he says.
“We were obviously more concerned with his well-being but reports have been very positive so now we have to crack on.
“Hopefully the club will be in a good position when he comes back, whether that’s this season or next. It doesn’t matter as long as he is in full health. If it’s not this season, we hope to have maintained our Premier League status for him.”
Hull have looked much better organised under new Portuguese boss Marco Silva and Huddlestone hopes cup football can help rather than hinder the survival battle.
“It’s disappointing not to get to the final even though it was a big achievement to beat United for the first time,” he says.
“That performance against one of the best teams in Europe should give us the confidence to pick up points in the league.
“The cups are not a distraction for us. The more you play in them, the better it means you’re doing.
“Fulham will be tough. We won at Craven Cottage last season but they battered us. They play a different type of football to a lot of teams in the Championship but I’m sure our manager will come up with a good plan.”