Hull City latest: Chelsea draw is a huge result for us, says Jakirovic

2026-09-12 · Sky-PL

On the latest Transfer Talk Podcast, Pete Graves is joined by Dharmesh Sheth and ESPN's Sam Tighe.

LISTEN: The latest Transfer Talk podcast!

On the latest Transfer Talk Podcast, Pete Graves is joined by Dharmesh Sheth and ESPN's Sam Tighe.

The panel discuss Aston Villa's slow start to the season, the Manchester derby and what it means for likes of Joshua Zirkzee and Marcus Rashford, the make-up of Man City's midfield under Enzo Maresca and Tottenham Hotspur's continued struggles despite a big money summer.

Plus they look at Hull City's situation, their summer signings and prospects of Premier League survival.

KMI panel supports penalty decisions vs Aston Villa

Both decisions not to award Aston Villa a penalty in their goalless draw at Hull City have been supported by the Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel.

Villa had claims for challenges by Hull defender Nobel Mendy on Nicolas Jackson and Matty Cash turned down by referee Michael Oliver, while VAR didn't intervene.

The KMI Panel provides an independent assessment of key decisions in every Premier League match, and it unanimously supported both calls.

The panel ruled that "the contact was deemed below the threshold for a penalty" in both incidents, adding that the contact was "minimal and exaggerated by the attacker" in the challenge on Cash.

Jakirovic: Chelsea draw is a huge result for us

Hull boss Sergej Jakirovic, whose team are still unbeaten despite conceding their first goals of the season in a 2-2 draw at Chelsea, reflected on what might have been at Stamford Bridge.

> “I feel good,” he said. “We have to be happy. It’s a huge result for us.

> “We had 2-1 at half-time and we had a 100 per cent chance with McBurnie, but Martinez’s save was excellent. We had an excellent chance for [Mohamed-Ali] Cho [near the end], Martinez saved again. Player of the match.

> “We can be very happy. We took a point in a very demanding match.”

Hull fans serenade Thomas at Stamford Bridge

Hull supporters sang “Sorba Thomas, he parks where he wants” during their 2-2 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

The 27-year-old walked away unhurt after his car flipped over and landed on its roof near the club’s training ground on Friday.

The vehicle, a grey Land Rover Defender, was pictured upside down with broken windows, with Hull later confirming their summer signing from Stoke had sustained no injuries in the incident.

He began Saturday’s draw in west London on the bench but came on in the second half with his side defending a 2-1 lead, given to them by two goals from Algerian winger Mohamed Belloumi after Morgan Rogers had opened the scoring for the Blues.

Supporters had sung to Thomas in the first half but reprised the number with gusto when he came on to the pitch.

Sergej Jakirovic’s side were unable to hang on to their lead and left with a point following Joao Pedro’s equaliser for Chelsea midway through the second half.

Hull well worth their point

Early stages in the new season I know, but that has to be one of the games of the campaign, an ding-dong, end-to-end affair that was still in doubt come the final seconds.

Hull showed great character to respond to falling behind early on and despite then getting pegged back themselves, the visitors very nearly won it late on through substitute Ali-Cho.

But Jakirovic will be absolutely delighted with how his players have performed on this big stage and it all bodes well for their campaign.

As for Chelsea, well they remain the top flight's great entertainers, but Alonso will be concerned at just how many goals his side have now conceded, with the Blues still without a clean sheet this season after letting in 11 goals in their opening four league encounters.

Attack vs defence - Alonso needs to focus on the latter

> "Much of the talk surrounding the Chelsea team that Xabi Alonso is in the midst of creating is what they are capable of in attack. How can you stop JP Morgan?

> "No one has been able to stop them from contributing at least one goal per game this season, but you can't bank on them to get you out of footballing bankruptcy if you can't keep clean sheets.

> "It is a problem that has impacted the Blues for some time, not just under Alonso. This is the 20th Premier League game in a row their defence has been breached.

> "The signing of a World Cup winner and multi-time Yashin trophy winner in the form of Emi Martinez is all well and good. However, if he has defenders not doing the basics in front of him, he may as well be Robert Sanchez.

> "The 1.32 xG that Hull managed was a fair reflection of how dangerous they were at times at Stamford Bridge. And it wasn't like they carved open the hosts. Most of the time, they had chances put on a plate.

> "The potential in attack is obvious, and certainly exciting. However, Alonso needs to tap into his learnings under Jose Mourinho and make this Chelsea side much tougher to score against if he wants to challenge."

McBurnie: The fact we're disappointed shows how far we've come

Hull City striker Oli McBurnie speaking with Sky Sports:

> “We can be proud of this result. It shows we can compete at this level. It shows how far we've come that we can arguably be disappointed.”

On his miss at 2-1:

> “The goalkeeper has come out quickly and done well. he's one of the best in the world. It's one that I'll probably be having a few nightmares over tonight.”

The key numbers from the Bridge

Fulham, Brighton, Arsenal, and Hull all conceded their first Premier League goals this season against Chelsea - it's the first time in the competition's history that any side has been the first to score against four different teamsin a season.

Morgan Rogers became the fifth different player to score or assist in each of Chelsea's first four games of a Premier League season (3 goals, 1 assist), after Didier Drogba (2010-11), Cesc Fàbregas (2014-15), Diego Costa (2014-15 &2016-17), and Eden Hazard (2018-19).

Hull have picked up eight points from their first four Premier League games this season (W2 D2), the only newly promoted sides to gain more points in their first four matches to start a campaign were Nottingham Forest in 1994-95 and Bolton Wanderers in 2001-02 (both 10).

Chelsea’s first two Premier League home games in 2026-27 have seen 11 goals (6 for, 5 against), the most in the Blues’ opening two home league matches since 1997-98 (also 11), while they’ve only once before shipped five goals across their opening two home league games without losing, in 1932-33 (D2 GF6 GA6).

WATCH FREE HIGHLIGHTS: CHELSEA 2-2 HULL

Poor Chelsea defending allows Hull to remain unbeaten

Hull continued their unbeaten start in the Premier League as they capitalised on some poor Chelsea defending to draw 2-2 at Stamford Bridge.

Hull confident they belong in Premier League

Hull boss Sergej Jakirovic says his side have confidence that they belong in the Premier League.

The Tigers have made a roaring start to life back in the top tier, taking seven points from their opening three games with wins over Manchester United and Coventry and a draw with Aston Villa.

They head to Chelsea on Saturday for a tough test but Jakirovic already knows his side can compete in the division.

> “Of course, (we have) a lot of confidence,” he said. “Imagine now that we have one point or zero points. Then it will be pressure, of course. But this is excellent for confidence, and we have to continue like this.

> “So we will compete. We will have our chances. Like every game, every game you have at least one chance, a good 100 per cent chance.

> “So we will try to use our chances and try to bring or enforce the errors on a much lower level. This is very important.”

Hull have yet to concede in this campaign but, given the quality of the league, Jakirovic knows any opponent can cut his side open at any moment.

He added:

> “Every mistake they can punish you. Even even if you lose a ball in the middle, in three or four seconds they’re in your box, and it will be a 100 per cent chance.

> “You can just pray to God that he will miss there. So this is what it’s about: speed, about pace, about strong challenges, strong duels. The most important thing is that we can compete there.”

Hull's Thomas unharmed following car crash

Hull have confirmed that Sorba Thomas is unharmed after a car crash near the club's training ground.

Images circulated on social media of Thomas's car and Hull confirmed that he sustained no injuries.

> "Hull City is relieved to confirm that Sorba Thomas is unharmed following a road traffic accident near to the club’s Cottingham training ground," a club statement read.

> "The club is aware of images of Sorba’s car circulating on social media and can reassure supporters that he has sustained no injuries and emerged from his vehicle completely unscathed."

> A Humberside Police statement said: "Officers and emergency services are currently in attendance following reports of a road traffic collision on Milllhouse Woods Lane, Cottingham.

> "The road remains closed and motorists are advised to avoid the area to allow emergency services to operate effectively."

Thomas joined from Stoke City on Deadline Day.

Jakirovic's plan for Chelsea trio? Kick them!

Hull boss Sergej Jakirovic joked that the best way to stop Chelsea’s free-flowing attack is “to kick them”.

The Tigers have yet to concede a goal on their return to the Premier League, beating Manchester United and Coventry before drawing with Aston Villa last week.

Their defence will come up against its biggest test yet when they travel to Stamford Bridge on Saturday to take on a Chelsea front three of Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers.

Xabi Alonso’s side have been electric in front of goal this season, scoring 16 goals in five league and cup games.

Asked how Hull might nullify them, Jakirovic joked:

> “To kick them? No, if you are there man-marking, you don’t have chance.

> “So, it’s very, very simple because they are capable to pass one, two, three players.

> “It’s about being together – compact team, team effort and defending as a team, and we will see.

> “But they have very, very big quality and it will be very, very demanding for us.

> “Tough, but we will see. Like I said, it’s a great challenge ahead of us, and we will try to play.”

Jakirovic: Hull can still improve

Hull’s excellent start to the campaign, winning seven points from three games, has perhaps raised expectations on their return to the Premier League.

Sergej Jakirovic says his side can still improve.

> “Every game, it’s a new challenge. Like I said, we will try to play even better than the first three rounds,” he said.

> “I expect in every game that we grow, and it’s a great experience for us. Also now we have three games behind us, and still we can play better.

> “We can improve for a lot of things, like I said, in all moments of the play, and we will see.

> “We have seven points, which is good. We didn’t concede, which is excellent.

> “But I also know that a lot of teams will be very motivated to score against us, which is normal, and it’s just about tactical discipline, no matter what’s going on on the pitch, that we keep our focus and we have we have our tactical plan and we try to show this on the pitch.”

The Tigers have no fresh injuries for their capital appointment, with Brooke Norton-Cuffy, John Egan and Paddy McNair all fit.

Hidemasa Morita and Charlie Hughes are still out

> “Still Morita, Charlie Hughes but I think that’s it,” Jakirovic said on possible absentees.

> “Cuffy is fine after a scan, Paddy McNair is fine.

> “Some problems after the Sunderland game (on Tuesday) but nothing special and they will be available for the game.

> “Norton-Cuffy felt his calf after the game against Aston Villa. The next day we sent him for a scan and the scan said there was nothing.

> “He felt something off the ball. He didn’t feel good with his calf and we took precautions.”

Three Hull games on Sky during festive period

Hull City's clash with Liverpool on Boxing Day will be shown live on Sky Sports, kicking off at 5.30pm.

Hull's home match against Leeds United on Tuesday 29 December is also live on Sky Sports, kicking off at 7.30pm.

The away trip to Nottingham Forest on Tuesday 5 January will also be screened live on Sky Sports, kicking off at 7.30pm.

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