The forgotten middle child of domestic competitions, the Carabao Cup has returned for another year. An inconvenience at the top of the pyramid but an opportunity for success for those in the divisions below.
For Hull City, the competition has not yielded success with last season’s loss against Bradford City meaning that The Tigers have failed to progress beyond the first round every season since returning to the Championship, each time losing to sides playing their football in a lower division.
This year brings about a similar proposition with League Two outfit, Doncaster Rovers, making the short trip to East Yorkshire. A 1-0 loss to Harrogate Town in their opening fixture means Rovers come to the MKM Stadium in an identical position to the home side who will be looking to pick themselves up following a disappointing 2-1 loss away to Norwich on the Championship opening day.
Rovers, who have twice previously knocked The Tigers out of the League Cup, will bring with them a familiar face in manager, Grant McCann, who managed Hull City for 136 games, leading them to a league title before being sacked the following season.
The 43-year-old will certainly be returning with a point to prove after being replaced just two games into the club's new ownership taking over. Whilst the Irishman's dismissal had long been on the cards, McCann will be eager to make a statement to his former employers.
Speaking prior to the match, McCann has spoken of his anticipation of returning to his former club, telling reporters:
“I’m looking forward to it, I’m looking forward to going back to Hull”.
“They had a tough game at Norwich, but you can see what Liam [Rosenior] is trying to do. He’s an enthusiastic young coach that is going to have a top, top career I feel and he’s got some good players there. It’s going to be a good game tomorrow.”
Of course, the Hull City side lining up against Doncaster will be very different to the set of players McCann had at his disposal with Jacob Greaves being the only player to start both McCann's final game as boss in early 2022 and last weekend's season opener against Norwich.
One player familiar to the away side will be the Tiger's new signing, Jason Lokilo, who previously spent a season in South Yorkshire before being released with just one goal in a Rover's shirt. A fruitful loan spell at İstanbulspor Kulübü has appeared to instil belief that the 24-year-old winger can bring his form from Türkiye to East Yorkshire and not the displays away fans will remember him for.
Failing to make an appearance in the Norwich loss, Lokilo is one of several players likely to be given a chance in this cup tie. Oscar Estupinan and Aaron Connolly both came off the bench in the opening game and are expected to form the strike partnership for this fixture.
Youngster Andy Smith was a prominent starter throughout preseason and will be expected to make an appearance during this game. Whilst the future is still uncertain for Brandon Fleming, this tie may provide an opportunity for the fullback to make an impression on the first team and cement himself as second choice on the left hand side.
Harry Vaughan, who suffered a knock in the Norwich game will miss this fixture as a precaution whilst Dogukan Sinik and Allahyar Sayyadmanesh are still far from match fit.
Liam Rosenior's red card on the opening day will throw a spanner in the works for this cup tie. The empty space in the dugout is likely to be occupied by Andy Dawson, who has previously managed the Tigers on an interim basis and Justin Walker, who undertook media duties following Rosenior's sending off.
This fixture offers an opportunity for Hull City to reset themselves following a disappointing result in their previous game. A strong performance in tonight's fixture will look to recover some of the pre-season positivity that has been eroded by a poor start to the season.
A win against Doncaster will put The Tigers in the pot with the Premier League's big boys for the next round. Whilst a tie against league two Rovers is far from an exciting prospect, the chance to play against some of England's top sides will surely be a cause of excitement for fans and players alike.
However, before anyone can start thinking of their dream next round ties, Doncaster Rovers stand in Hull City's way and with Grant McCann returning, there's no guarantee a win will be straight forward.
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