Hull City

Hull boss Sergej Jakirovic was happy with their point at Oxford after calling it "a very ugly game".

Jakirovic felt Oxford were content to use the wind to play long balls at the Kassam Stadium and admits his Tigers could have been better.

But the point keeps Hull in fifth and Jakirovic was satisfied with the result.

"We can be happy with this point because they had very good chances towards the end of this game," he told BBC Radio Humberside.

"We began well and took the lead through a very nice goal and then mostly we controlled everything.

"Maybe they know how to use this wind because they played a lot of long balls behind our defence line. We struggled there sometimes and we made one mistake in midfield when we lost the ball and they used this immediately to win a penalty.

"After this, for me, it was a very ugly game because it was first ball, long ball, second ball, who will be successful there? I think we lacked creativity, especially on the ball. We must be comfortable on the ball.

"We didn't use the wind in the first half because when you saw the second half, they used it. From 30, 35, 40 metres, they tried to shoot on goal. This is their home ground, so this is expected."

Image source, Getty Images

Championship clubs spent just over £69.5m on agents fees over the past 12 months according to figures released by the Football Association,, external an increase of £6m on the previous year.

The figures cover the period from February 2025 with Ipswich Town the top spenders, paying £11.7m having spent the first three months of the accounting period in the Premier League.

Southampton (£8.3m) and Leicester (£5.8m), who were relegated alongside Ipswich are the second and third-highest payers on the list.

Troubled Sheffield Wednesday were the most frugal when dealing with agents, spending £534,559.

Wrexham come in sixth on the list with an outlay of £3.6m while current Championship leaders Coventry spent just short of £1.5m.

Championship agents' fee spending, external

• Ipswich - £11,738,920

• Southampton - £8,381,358

• Leicester City - £5,866,587

• Sheffield United - £5,005,498

• Norwich - £4,020,206

• Wrexham - £3,660,584

• Swansea - £3,088,645

• Middlesbrough - £2,900,314

• Bristol City - £2,774,990

• Hull City - £2,450,431

• Stoke City - £2,088,886

• Birmingham City - £1,996,502

• Millwall - £1,982,348

• Preston North End - £1,831,233

• QPR - £1,829,036

• Watford - £1,612,833

• Coventry - £1,497,990

• Derby - £1,409,507

• West Brom - £1,346,030

• Oxford - £1,235,536

• Charlton - £904,698

• Portsmouth - £831,818

• Blackburn - £676,980

• Sheffield Wednesday - £534,559

Image source, Opta

Oxford United welcome Hull City for a crucial encounter with ramifications at both ends of the table on Friday (kick-off 15:00 BST).

The U's had been on a four-game unbeaten run (W3 D1) before their defeat to Southampton last time out and are 23rd but just one point adrift of safety.

The play-off chasing Tigers beat bottom side Sheffield Wednesday before the international break but have lost three of their past five games.

Hull are fifth, three points clear of seventh-placed Wrexham and five points behind the automatic promotion places.

• Oxford have won just one of their previous six league games against Hull (D1 L4), though it did come in this exact fixture last season (1-0).

• Following their 3-2 win in August, Hull are looking to complete their third league double over Oxford United after 1965-66 and 1975-76.

• Oxford are unbeaten in their past three home league games (W2 D1), having failed to win (D2 L3) or score in any of their previous five at the Kassam Stadium.

• No side has won more away games in the Championship than Hull City this season (10), though the Tigers have lost two of their past three on the road.

• Oliver McBurnie has been involved in more goals than any other Championship player this season (20 – 13 goals, 7 assists). He's the first Hull player to reach 20 goal involvements in a Championship campaign since Jarrod Bowen in 2019-20 (23).

Image source, Rex Features

Hull head coach Sergej Jakirovic said his injury-hit side need a break after a jaded performance in the 3-1 win over already relegated Sheffield Wednesday.

"Everyone was expecting three points," Jakirovic said. "But I knew it would be a tough game as they are aggressive, dangerous on the counter-attack and difficult to break down.

"I'm very pleased with the boys. We left everything on the pitch because it was not easy.

"We will use this break for mental and physical recovery. We have played so many games with our problems and our injuries so they deserve this rest.

"We hope the international players come back healthy and then we have seven games. We must be ready for every one of the them – and we will be.

"But for seven days I don't want to see anyone. I will go back to Croatia, but I will not be able to switch off from football."

Hull City boss Sergej Jakirovic has mixed feelings about the upcoming international break.

The Tigers are fifth in the Championship table and host relegated Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday (15:00 GMT) before the two-week break for international matches.

"It's good we have a two-week break," Jakirovic told BBC Radio Humberside.

"(But) We have eight international players and I hope they get some minutes but it's more important they stay healthy."

Hull have suffered a number of injury problems throughout the season and Jakirovic is wary of asking too much of players returning from long trips with their national teams.

"We may have some problems when they return from the international games - Ivor Pandur (Croatia) is in South America, Semi Ajayi (Nigeria ) is in Jordan, and Liam Miller is with Canada in Toronto so that could be a problem but we will see when they come back," he added.

"I understand the World Cup is coming and the players want to be on their list and it is a big dream for them. We are proud of our international players."

Jakirovic also confirmed Hull decided not to appeal against the sending-off of Charlie Hughes against West Bromwich Albion last weekend after he realised the suspension will only be for one game rather than two, so the defender will miss the meeting with Sheffield Wednesday.

Listen to more Hull City content and interviews on BBC Sounds.

Jobi McAnuff believes just five teams are fighting it out for two Championship play-off spots.

In the latest edition of the BBC's 72+ EFL podcast, Aaron Paul and McAnuff were joined by AFC Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson discuss the top stories from the EFL.

Watford's 3-1 win over Wrexham on Tuesday opened the door for Southampton to take over the Welsh side's top-six spot - and they did so, winning 1-0 against Norwich on Wednesday.

Watford are ninth, five points behind the Saints with eight games to go, while Birmingham are a further two points behind in 10th.

McAnuff said: "Watford are still in the mix. I feel like seven points feels a bit too big at this stage of the season. Birmingham feels a little far away.

"Southampton are the ones I believed would come through and get a play-off place.

"A couple of weeks ago I'd have said there's only one place up for grabs (sixth). That's changed now, (fifth-placed) Hull have been really inconsistent so they have been brought into it a lot more.

"You've got Easter coming up, six points can go in a week. You have a quick turnaround. If you can put a run of games together you can really jump up four or five places in the space of a few days. Anyone down to Watford (can make it), Birmingham feels a little too far away at this stage."

Hull City will aim to retain their place in the top six when they host bottom side Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Tigers are only three points ahead of seventh placed Wrexham, with a poorer goal difference than the Red Dragons and sixth placed Southampton.

The side are currently in the worst form of the three teams too, having lost three of their past four league matches (W1), but relegated Wednesday have only managed to bag one point from their past 15 Championship games.

• Hull lost this exact fixture against Sheffield Wednesday last season (0-2 in November 2024), while only once previously have they lost consecutive home league matches versus the Owls (April 2005).

• Since winning 2-0 at Hull last season, Sheffield Wednesday have gone winless in all six of their Championship matches against sides from Yorkshire and the Humber, losing five of them (D1).

• Hull have lost three of their last four Championship matches (W1), as many defeats as they had suffered in their previous 15 combined (W10 D2 L3).

• Sheffield Wednesday are winless in their last 32 league matches (D8 L24); the longest streak without a win by any side in England's top four tiers since Macclesfield, in a run ending in October 2018 (36).

• Oli McBurnie has netted 13 goals for Hull in the Championship this season; only once has he scored more in a single league campaign in his career (22 for Swansea in 2018-19).

Image source, Getty Images

There have been plenty of contentious decisions in the 2025-26 Championship season so far.

Offside goals given, perfectly good goals ruled out, red card offences missed, penalties not given, dubious spot-kicks awarded. You name it.

With the video assistant referee (VAR) only used for the play-off final, the outcome of every second-tier game in the regular season can hinge on how on-field officials see incidents in real time.

• Would you want VAR introduced for every league game in the Championship?

• If so, why?

• And if not, let us know your reasons.

You can share your thoughts on VAR here or comment below, and we will publish a follow-up article soon with a selection of your responses.

Image source, Getty Images

Hartlepool United have extended the loan of Calvin Okike until the end of the season.

The 18-year-old defender joined last month from Hull City and has made three appearances for Pools, scoring on debut in their 3-1 win over Carlisle United.

Hull City boss Sergej Jakirovic spoke to BBC Radio Humberside after his side's 3-0 defeat at West Brom.

"I knew that they had quality and they are fighting relegation. They brought a lot of energy to the pitch and this is the reason we lost today," he said.

"I think it's about energy and courage when you have the ball. They were better today.

"Also we had a lack of concentration. On the first goal Ivor must kick the ball longer and the red card came from nothing, it was bad from Charlie. It's football, it can happen.

(On Lewie Coyle injury) "I'm not optimistic because he has a protective boot on. We'll see after an examination what the damage is. He got kicked on the same ankle he already had a problem on."