'THEY CAME BACK ALIVE!'

JAKIROVIC MAKES DUBLIN QUIP AS JOE GELHARDT RETURN DATE EXPLAINED

- By BARRY COOPER

SERGEJ Jakirovic admits he’s relieved his players all returned from their Christmas party in Dublin ‘alive’ as he targets a third straight win with Hull City.

Members of the City squad headed off to the Irish capital straight after last Saturday's thumping 3-1 win at playoff rivals Millwall for a two-day party, before returning to training on Tuesday.

Jakirovic says spirits in the camp are high after successive wins moved the Tigers back into the top six, with his squad likely to be boosted by the return of Enis Destan and Kasey Palmer this weekend.

Palmer has not featured since before his controversial omission from the City squad that beat Sheffield United back in September, after he then sustained a knee injury on international duty with Jamaica, while Destan has missed the last two games with a hip problem.

Having the playmaker back in the squad will provide Jakirovic with another attacking off the bench, with Palmer likely to join Oli McBurnie in starting on the bench against the Baggies, who are managed by former Tigers ace Ryan Mason.