League Cup semi-final: Hull manager Marco Silva puts football in perspective as Ryan Mason recovers from fractured skull

Ahead of second-leg semi-final against Manchester United, in which Hull must overcome a 1-0 deficit, midfielder Mason is making “excellent progress” in hospital after surgery on Sunday, club say.

Marouane Fellaini of Manchester United and Andrew Robertson of Hull City during the League Cup semi-final first leg at Old Trafford in Manchester on January 10th, 2017. Matt McNulty / Sportimage
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■ Hull City v Manchester United, League Cup semi-final second leg, 11.4 5pm (UAE), Bein Sports HD

Hull City manager Marco Silva said Ryan Mason’s head injury has put a different perspective on his challenge to keep the club in the Premier League.

Midfielder Mason is making “excellent progress” in St Mary’s Hospital in London after surgery on Sunday night to repair his fractured skull, sustained during Hull’s defeat at Chelsea earlier in the day.

Hull take a break from their top-flight struggles tonight when they bid to overhaul a 2-0 deficit from the first leg of their League Cup semi-final against Manchester United. But Silva said the club’s main priority was to maintain their support of Mason and his family as the one-time England international recovers from the damage caused by his clash of heads with Chelsea defender Gary Cahill.

“At this moment we need to forget everything,” Silva told a pre-match news conference on Wednesday. “The most important is the player and his family, the other things are not important.

“It’s important to support the player and his family, of course it’s not an easy moment fortonight us, the team.

“But we need to be strong, to be together, to keep the players together and support Ryan – that’s the most important thing.”

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Silva’s task to stay in the league appears to have been made even harder on Wednesday after the club accepted a bid of around £10 million (Dh46m) for Robert Snodgrass from Burnley.

West Ham United had also been in the race for the winger and it remains to be seen if they will come in with an improved offer having had earlier bids turned down.

But the Scotland international’s tenure looks to be over and, following last week’s departure of midfielder Jake Livermore to West Bromwich Albion for a similar fee, plus the loss of Mason, Silva must move quickly to bring in replacements before the transfer window closes next week.

“It’s clear we need players in those positions,” the Portuguese said. “During these last four games some things have happened, some injuries also, and Jake has left and we need to pay attention to these situations also. We need to do our best in this window for these positions and for the other positions also.”

Silva drafted in winger Lazar Markovic this week on loan from Liverpool until the end of the season, and confirmed another winger, Genk’s Leon Bailey, was also on his radar.

“We will try,” Silva said. “He’s not an easy player to get, but we will try. We will see.”

While Silva has challenges finding a squad, his counterpart at Manchester United was unhappy looking ahead at the fixture schedule.

Jose Mourinho, who turns 54 today, expressed concern that the Premier League’s fixture planners could ruin his side’s top-four hopes if they reach the League Cup final.

United are in a good position to surpass Hull tonight and will face either Liverpool or Southampton at Wembley on February 26 if they progress.

If they reach the final, the derby fixture with Manchester City scheduled for that weekend will be moved and Mourinho is concerned television demands could see it rearranged for an inconvenient time.

“For the match against Manchester City, I am sure they will choose an amazing moment, difficult for us, to make us play against them,” Mourinho told his pre-match news conference.

“Then there is the Europa League. The Europa League is a non-stop competition. The Champions League has the last 16. In the Europa League, you have to play last 32, last 16.

“If we progress, it’s going to be really difficult, but let’s see.”

With the club going strong in four competitions, they could end up playing a record 66 games in the season and that does not include possible FA Cup replays. They host second-tier Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday.

“I don’t know,” Mourinho said. “At this moment, we have a 25 per cent chance to win the League Cup, which is the first competition to be decided.”

* Press Association

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