Manchester City defender opens up on his tough time at Hull City as Leeds United loanee provides some hope

Brought in on a season-long loan from Manchester City last summer, the Londoner started just one Championship game in the short-lived reign of Tim Walter and he is the first to admit it was a problematic period in the early stages of career.

Switched to his more natural position of centre-half by Selles, the 21-year-old has lined up from the off for City’s last three matches in all competitions.

It’s a vote of confidence in the Spaniard towards him. But the picture is not a straightforward one.

Fighting for their lives at the wrong end of the second-tier table, Hull are in the market for several pieces of incoming transfer business.

Brazilian playmaker Lincoln Henrique is set to join on an initial loan from Turkish giants Fenerbahce, while City also have interest in other loan targets including former Leeds United left-back Charlie Taylor, now at Southampton.

By the end of the window, City could well be in an invidious position where they have more loan players than the actual number allowed in a match-day squad, which is five. That could lead to a re-evaluation regarding those who have not been regulars, with Burns among that number.

Burns is unsure over what comes next. Ideally, he’d like to stay. If he doesn’t, he will depart with some faith restored at least.

He said: "It’s been hard to be fair and makes you self-doubt. But the new manager has been really good with me. He's honest and communicates well, not only with myself, but all the boys. The main thing for me is he's instilled belief.

"In the first quarter of the season, I was thinking I was not up to the level with it and that was the feeling I got from the coach. But I have had belief reinstalled in me and I feel more like myself now.

"I came in as a holding midfielder which is where I played last season (on loan at Stevenage). Naturally I am a centre-back, moving into that holding role was good to get minutes, but realistically my main position is centre-back and I will hold my hands up and say that.

"The way the previous manager wanted to play probably was not well suited for a centre-back trying to transition into a holding midfielder. I had to learn a lot very quickly, to say I wasn’t a holding midfielder to start with. I will hold my hand up and say it was partly my fault.

"But the new manager has come in and said: ‘I think you are a centre-back’ and I feel more comfortable with playing my game now since he has been here.”

Many players in Burns’ shoes would have pushed to head back to their parent club at the start of the winter window. It is testament to his character and mentality that he has not.

It suggests that he might come in handy in City’s predicament where attitude as well as aptitude plays its part.

Burns continued: "I had his experience when I was on loan at Swansea and you think you are out of the picture and it’s quite easy to take your foot off the gas.

"But it will bite you on the backside when you are expected to perform. It was always ‘what if someone gets injured’ and it kept driving me every day. It was about not going down without fighting.

"I'm happy to stay, and I'd love to stay, but I think the situation is above me, really. They (Manchester City) probably have a say in it, but I think it's higher up here (at Hull), so we'll see what they have to say about it all."

One of Hull’s existing loanees in Joe Gelhardt provided the main tick in the box on another dispiriting occasion, results-wise, on home soil in Tuesday’s 2-1 reverse to QPR.

The Leeds United forward scored with a classy lob to register his first goal since the start of the 2023-24 campaign - in his 100th career appearance and full debut.

City have a turnaround of just 72 hours before Friday’s Yorkshire derby at Sheffield United, although recent arrival Kyle Joseph will add to their numbers - potentially alongside Henrique and Belgian midfielder Eliot Matazo, who both watched Tuesday's game from the stands.

Lewie Coyle and Abu Kamara could also return to the squad.

On Gelhardt, Selles said: "We brought him here with the idea of adding some more goals into the squad and from the very beginning, he has done that.

"He’s a good player and he can help us be more competitive in the Championship and hopefully he will have more days like this.

"I think it is always difficult to come to a new club and try and perform immediately. I think he did it and looked like a player who has been playing for us for a couple of months I’ve been here.

"I think he has a lot of improvements (to come) in his game, but he was as good as the team."

Brighton have recalled goalkeeper Carl Rushworth from his loan spell at Hull as cover for the sidelined Jason Steele.