Hull City head coach Ruben Selles could be tempted to recall Ryan Giles to his starting XI for the New Year curtain-raiser at home to Middlesbrough on Wednesday night.

Giles was withdrawn at half-time during the Boxing Day defeat to Preston North End at Deepdale with a hamstring complaint and missed Sunday's 1-0 win at Blackburn Rovers as a precaution.

The ex-Boro loanee is back in contention to face his former club in the teatime kick-off and could make an immediate return to the City side at the expense of Matty Jacob, who made his first start since the opening day at Ewood Park.

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Elsewhere, Selles must decide whether to keep faith with the other three changes he made against Rovers, which saw Cody Drameh replace Lewie Coyle, Xavier Simons come in for Steven Alzate and Abu Kamara replace Ryan Longman. All four of those came off the bench to make a big impact with Longman scoring the winning goal in the final stages, though his participation on New Year's Day is touch and go, after the Spaniard confirmed the winger had a groin complaint and would be assessed ahead of kick-off.

Alzate is almost certain to come back into the side, having been one of the Tigers' most impressive performers since Selles arrived, having only been rested on Sunday, though the head coach will be acutely aware of the need to have an eye on Saturday's Yorkshire derby when managing minutes in his players.

Losing Longman would be a blow to City, and the player himself, after netting his first goal for the Tigers in more than two years at the weekend, though his potential absence could hand Abdus Omur a rare opportunity from the start, though he did play in the corresponding future at the Riverside Stadium at the end of November.

City's predicted starting XI: Pandur, Giles, McLoughlin, Jones (c), Drameh, Slater Alzate, Puerta, Kamara, Omur, Pedro.

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