HULL PREVIEW

Sunderland go to the MKM Stadium to face Hull City in our fifth preseason friendly, hoping for a better performance than against Hearts over the weekend. The hosts are familiar opponents, with us facing them twice last season. Here’s some information on the Tigers:

LAST SEASON

Hull almost fell into the third tier, surviving in the Championship on goal difference and in 21st place, a marked difference in the season prior where they very nearly earned themselves a playoff spot. In the EFL Cup they went out in the first round and they didn’t fare any better in the FA Cup, also going out at the first available opportunity via the third round.

THE MANAGER

The Tigers are managed by 48-year-old Sergej Jakirovic who previously played as a centre back/defensive midfielder for (brace yourselves) Neretva, RNK Split, Spartak Trnava, Istra, Korotan Prevalje, Kamen Ingrad, NK Zagreb, CSKA Sofia, FC Superfund, Rijeka, Austria Karnten (as well as their second team), Spittal/Drau (which was a loan and, yes, the club has two names), Lucko, Sesvete, Sloga Gredelj Zagreb, Dugo Selo, Sesvete (again), Dugo Selo (again) and, thankfully finally, Matija Gubec. Or, in other words, he played for clubs across Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Austria. Just for good measure as well, he also earned five caps for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Pretty much a one club player then. He has one Slovak Cup, one Bulgarian Cup and one Bulgarian Supercup to show for his adventures across Europe at least.

His managerial exploits have seen him in charge of Sesvete, Gorica, Maribor, Zrinjski Mostar, Rijeka, Dinamo Zagreb and Kayserispor previously. Ticking off Bosnia and Herzegovina and Turkey as countries he’s played and/or managed in at a club level. Jakirovic has won a Bosnian Premier League, the Croatian Football League, the Croatian Cup and a Bosnian Premier League Manager of the Season award whilst in the dugout. He came to Hull in June 2025 and has yet to manage a competitive game for them.

KEY PLAYERS

Goalkeeper Ivor Pandur is their number one, last season’s top scorer out of players who haven’t departed the club was 22-year-old right winger Abu Kamara with five goals. Kamara was also their top playmaker with three assists. Defender Lewie Coyle and midfielder Regan Slater played the most for them last season, both with 46 appearances in all competitions each. New signings include 20-year-old central midfielder Reda Laalaoui and Nigerian centre back Semi Ajayi. They also have former Sunderland players John Egan and Mason Burstow amongst their ranks.

THE STADIUM

The MKM Stadium has a capacity of 25,586 and is also used by the rugby league club Hull FC. It opened in December 2002 at a cost of £44 million and has been used to host England U21 matches in the past as well as a variety of international and club level rugby league competitions.

PREDICTION

Hopefully we actually turn up for this one and we get to see Reinildo feature for Sunderland for the first time. I’m going to say 2-1 to us for this one.