Hernandez backed to lead Hull line against the champions

Hull City’s caretaker manager Mike Phelan is confident striker Abel Hernandez will be fit for Saturday’s Premier League season curtain-raiser with champions Leicester City.

The 26-year-old represented Uruguay at the Copa America this summer, netting in a 3-0 defeat of Jamaica, and consequently reported back to Hull for pre-season training later than the majority of his team-mates.

The Tigers completed their first three pre-season friendlies without the services of the man who spearheaded their successful promotion challenge from the Championship with 20 league goals in 39 appearances.

But, Phelan feels Hernandez will be ready to lead the line when Community Shield runners-up Leicester stroll into the KC Stadium on Saturday.

“He’s done well as he joined us late after his international commitments and probably hasn’t done as much training as we or he would have liked,” said Phelan, the former Manchester United assistant manager.

“But he’s got into the games pretty quickly and he looks sharp which is good.

(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

“We know that the players are going to have to bring their endeavour and enthusiasm into the game next weekend.

“We’ve done some homework on Leicester but they are what they are – they’re the champions of the Premier League.

“But we’re going into this having earned the right to be in the Premier League and we shouldn’t forget the work that was put in last season to get there.

“We’re sure that the players will conduct themselves well.”