Hull V Burnley at The KCOM Stadium : Match Preview

24 February 2017 22:34
Hull V Burnley - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.


No offers for Hull striker Abel Hernandez, says head coach Marco Silva

Hull head coach Marco Silva said he had not been made aware of any bids for striker Abel Hernandez.

Hernandez has been linked with a move to Chinese Super League club Beijing Guoan, but Silva confirmed the striker is available for Hull's home Premier League game against Burnley on Saturday.

It has been reported that Hernandez's agent is in China to push through a B#16.8million deal before the Chinese Super League's transfer window shuts on Tuesday.

But Silva told a press conference: "Until now I've heard nothing about the offers for Abel and he's staying for at least the game (on Saturday).

"I don't know anything about the offers for the player. What I want the player focusing on now is on our squad and to do the work and score goals of course to help the team."

When asked to clarify if the club had received a bid for the player, Silva added: "Until now I don't have any offers for the player."

Silva said Hernandez had returned to full training three days ago following a hamstring injury and had not mentioned a possible move away from the KC Stadium.

Hull signed Hernandez in September 2014 for a then club record B#10million from Palermo, but he scored only four goals in 29 appearances in his first season for the Tigers in the Premier League.

Although he hit 24 last season as Hull bounced straight back to the top flight, he has registered just four this time around during a season hindered by injury.

Meanwhile, Silva has lost only one of his five league games in charge of Hull, who can climb out of the bottom three with victory against Burnley.

Wins against Bournemouth and Liverpool and a goalless draw at Manchester United have lifted the mood at the KC Stadium.

The Tigers have lost at Chelsea and Arsenal under Silva, but there is genuine hope the Portuguese, boosted by seven January transfer window signings, can guide the club to safety.

One of Silva's recent signings, Evandro, will miss out due to a calf injury, while fellow midfielder Sam Clucas is suspended following his red card at Arsenal.

Central defenders Michael Dawson (calf) and Curtis Davies (hamstring), plus midfielders Markus Henriksen and Ryan Mason (fractured skull) remain unavailable.

Meanwhile, Joey Barton's antics against Lincoln have been downplayed as "pantomime stuff" by Burnley boss Sean Dyche.

And Dyche will be content if that is the extent of the controversy the 34-year-old courts at Turf Moor, having had no issues with a man whose career has been marked by unsavoury incidents both on and off the field.

Barton's run-in with Imps striker Matt Rhead, which saw the former England cap stand on the non-league striker's foot before hitting the deck as he ran into his opponent's arm, was widely derided across social media and sparked lots of debate on mainstream channels too.

However, Dyche has brushed off the incident regarding a player who has previously spent time in jail, and served lengthy suspensions in the game for altercations with both team-mates and opponents.

"I think it's pantomime stuff, myself," Dyche said of his midfielder's flashpoint in the loss to Lincoln.

"I've got to be honest, I've seen a lot more controversy around Joey than that. If that's as far as it goes, I'll be a happy man.

"I thought by a mile, by an absolute mile, he was the best player on the pitch last weekend, and I mean by a long margin. On both teams.

"That's just part of being Joey, I suppose. It could be a TV series, actually - Being Joey.

"It's just the way life is now - people should actually have been saying, 'What about the game? What about him?' He was so far in front of everyone else on the pitch, it was incredible to look at. I really thought that.

"And I thought he was against Leicester as well. He was absolutely outstanding. Chelsea have two unbelievably high-quality midfielders, and I thought Joey more than dealt with what he needed to deal with. I think he's been fantastic for us.

Barton was the Clarets' player of the year before departing for Rangers in the summer and has now won his spot back in the middle of midfield.

Even after rejoining Burnley following their step up a division, and after an ill-fated spell in Glasgow, Dyche always thought Barton could slot back in seamlessly.

"I think when he came down he felt he had something to offer because he knew more about how we work here," he said.

"He was willing to do the work to get ready to have a chance, rather than get the chance to get ready, fitness-wise and stuff like that.

"So when he did come in, he was ready. He's always ready mentally, Joey, but he was ready physically. You can see that."




Source: PAR