How much will Nikica Jelavic be missed by Hull?

Nikica Jelavic is out for up to six weeks

Nikica Jelavic has had an up and down season but now he is out for up to six weeks, how will his side cope in his absence? 

Hull City's afternoon away at West Brom last weekend started badly and didn't improve.

Just after half an hour into the game their two strikers both went off injured within minutes of each other and, to add insult to literal injury, they conceded a late goal to lose the game.

Perhaps worse than that defeat was the news that both Nikica Jelavic and Abel Hernandez are set to miss several weeks with their respective injuries. Both could be out for up to six weeks; Hernandez with an adductor muscle problem and Jelavic with a recurrence of knee ligament damage that he first suffered in October.

Jelavic is the Tigers leading scorer this season and it is his loss that will be most keenly felt by Steve Bruce and his team. How will they cope without him?

Jelavic has been first-choice striker at the KC Stadium since signing for Hull from Everton in the last January transfer window. He was joined at the club by Shane Long and the two new additions soon clicked as a forward partnership, scoring the goals that ensured the Tigers survival in the Premier League for another season.

At the start of this campaign Shane Long was sold to Southampton and Jelavic was joined in the forward line by Hernandez, bought from Palermo for 10m. However, while Jelavic and Long generally stayed injury free last season, this campaign has been different and both have missed several games already.

With Jelavic, Hull fans have grown to really appreciate the work rate he puts in. He is not as gifted as Hernandez but works hard and his value to the team is obvious. Whether being asked to play as a lone forward, as he has on occasions, or as one of a partnership, Jelavic will always put 100% into his game.

He is a natural finisher too, adept at hitting the ball first time, has a decent header and has, on the whole been a good acquisition for Hull in their efforts to establish themselves as a Premier League club. He has scored 10 goals in 33 league appearances for the Tigers, a decent ratio.

Whether Hull will remain a Premier League club at the end of the season is a matter of some doubt. They are, after that defeat at West Brom, in the bottom three and now face some crucial games without their main strikers.

There are other forwards at the club; however all have question marks surrounding them. Yannick Sagbo has been with the Tigers throughout their season and a half in the Premier League, but has failed to establish himself in the starting line-up.

Likewise Sone Aluko who has been with the Tigers since promotion from the Championship. Blessed with great pace, he began life in the top league in style, scoring a great volley away at Newcastle early last season. However, he shortly afterwards suffered a bad injury, keeping him out for several months and has struggled for form since.

Robbie Brady and Tom Ince formed a makeshift front two against West Brom when Jelavic and Hernandez went off but again, neither convinced and it will be interesting to see who Steve Bruce picks to try and score the goals in the Tigers next game, away at West Ham on Sunday.

After that fixture Hull face Newcastle and Aston Villa at home and Manchester City away. By the end of that run of games Jelavic may be close to a return. However, he will certainly be missed and Steve Bruce will be hoping that, in his absence, others step in to score the goals needed to lift the team away from the bottom of the table.