City’s talisman hasn’t scored in his last seven games with service to him drying up in recent weeks
Barry Cooper Hull City correspondent
05:00, 05 Apr 2026
City have struggled to create chances for Oli McBurnie in recent weeks(Image: Michael Zemanek/Shutterstock)
Hull City must find a way to get Oli McBurnie more involved in games and give him the chance to add to his impressive goal-scoring tally.
That’s according to head coach Sergej Jakirovic, who feels his side can do more to create chances inside the box for McBurnie after he went a seventh game without scoring during Friday’s 1-1 draw at Oxford United.
McBurnie’s last goal came in the first half of City’s 4-2 win over Derby County in February, but since then, the Scotland striker has had precious little to work with.
Ryan Giles’ absence hasn’t helped, given he was creating regularly for McBurnie earlier in the season, but Jakirovic admits his side must find more quality in the final third and make the most of their influential marksman.
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“Maybe we will wait for Ryan Giles to come back,” he said with a smile. “We have had to improvise on the left side recently. Coyle did everything there because it’s not his natural position. Against Sheffield Wednesday, Paddy (McNair)played there, and he’s a centre-back.
“I think that we must do everything to bring Oli into the game, to create a chance for him. This is why I was angry with our crosses into the box. They were too low, too short or too long, so it must be better. This must be better. We are professional players, and these are technical issues.”
Jakirovic cut a frustrated figure at times on the touchline, and he says that was because of his side’s lack of quality, with him wanting a response against leaders Coventry City on Monday evening.
“Yeah, of course (I was frustrated), because I know what my players can do. They have already shown that almost the whole season on the pitch.”
West Brom boss James Morrison said after the Baggies’ 3-0 win recently that he’d brought Nat Phillips into the team just to mark McBurnie, a tactic other teams are operating in a bid to quell the forward’s influence, something Jakirovic knows he must overcome.
“This is also the quality of the opponent. Maybe they’re defending the box better in these situations. They are also aware of Oli’s quality,” he added.
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