Dean Holden, assistant manager of Hull City, has confirmed that winger Yu Hirakawa will consult a specialist to assess the severity of his ankle injury.
Hirakawa was substituted during Saturday’s loss at home to QPR and is expected to be sidelined for a period of time.
Holden stated that the severity of the injury will be clarified on Tuesday, acknowledging the impact of losing the player.
“He’ll be seeing the specialist,” Holden told BBC Radio Humberside. “We will have more details following that appointment.
“The injury seemed innocuous; he came off experiencing significant pain and swelling after twisting his ankle.
“Now, we must rely on the specialists to evaluate the situation. It’s another tough setback for us.
“He’s showcased impressive quality and energy. Both the fans and his teammates have really connected with him. His absence will certainly be felt.”
Holden also shared that midfielder Matt Crooks is likely to return to the squad against Derby after progressing in his recovery.
“We anticipate that Crooksy will be back in the squad. He trained this morning and seems to be doing well. He’s a valuable player who offers something different to the team.
“He’s been out for some time and hasn’t had much training, so we’ll need to assess how many minutes he’ll be able to play.”