Source: Eurosport
Two Tigers set to return - Brown
Hull boss Phil Brown is hoping to have both Daniel Cousin and Bernard Mendy fit for Saturday's crucial Premier League clash at Sunderland.
Gabon striker Cousin has missed the last four games with a back complaint, while winger Mendy was substituted at half-time in last week's defeat at Middlesbrough due to a foot injury.
Having the pair available would give the Tigers a huge lift for a game vital to both sides' hopes of avoiding relegation.
Hull are precariously placed in 15th just four points above the bottom three while Sunderland are two places below them.
Brown said: "Both are in contention and will be training on Friday.
"Daniel has been back on the training ground, albeit with the physios. He has been a big miss.
"Manucho has taken up the mantle but it is looking for a partner. Daniel would fit that bill.
"Angola striker Manucho, on loan from Manchester United, has started the last four games up front in Cousin's absence and scored in the 3-1 loss at the Riverside Stadium.
A report this week suggested Brown is preparing to make a permanent bid to sign the 26-year-old but he insisted that was premature.
"There is nothing in that from our point of view," Brown said. "He is on loan and we will see how it goes at the end of the season.
"There are a plethora of great strikers playing in Manchester United's reserves at the moment and Manucho was struggling to get in there.
"As far as we are concerned he is just starting to show signs he can play at this level and, more importantly, score goals.
"The more games he plays, hopefully the more goals he will score. He has got a big part to play in the game on Saturday, that is for sure."
Hull will be without captain Ian Ashbee for the trip to the Stadium of Light after midfielder picked up his 10th booking of the season, for dissent, at Middlesbrough.
The 32-year-old conceded: "I contested a decision I shouldn't have and lost my cool a little bit.
"That was unprofessional and probably shouldn't be happening from me."
Brown added: "Over the last seven years he has played a massive part in the history of this football club, so to take himself out of the equation for two of the last six games was unexpected from my point of view.
"Had he gone through someone and got a 10th booking for being physical I would have accepted that as opposed to dissent."
