Matt Ingram's Hull City absence was down to Covid-19 recovery, Grant McCann confirms

Players who test positive for the virus have to isolate for ten days, but for some, that is not the end of the matter.

Science is still learning about the virus and its short- and long-term effects but former Tigers manager Steve Bruce has given an insight into how it is debilitating Allan Saint-Maximin and Jamaal Lascelles, who have not appeared for Newcastle United since late November as a result of contracting Coronavirus.

With no game this week thanks partly to an outbreak at intended opponents Wigan Athletic, the hope is that Ingram will have sufficiently recovered for what is due to be a period of nine, possibly ten, matches in 32 days for the League One title-chasers.

Ingram was an unused substitute for Saturday's 2-0 win over Charlton Athletic, the first league match he has sat out this season. Callum Elder, James Scott, Reece Burke and Josh Magennis also missed the game.

“Matt hadn’t left his home for ten days and only did some very light work in training on the Friday,” explained coach McCann.

“We didn’t want to take a risk with him – and the reason I can speak about him is because I’ve got his consent to do so – he’s done very little.

“He’s been isolating and hasn’t been feeling too well.

“When the rest of the team has been training, Matt hasn’t, and I don’t need to take the risk with Matt because his health is more important than anything.”

Hull's Christmas matches against Sunderland and Lincoln City were postponed because of illnesses in the camps – the latter has since been rearranged. Clubs are not obliged to reveal which players have contracted the virus but in the light of so many postponements in recent weeks, the Football league has introduced stricter protocols and far greater testing.

“I can’t name (the players who have contracted the virus) and I haven’t got consent to speak about them and I’m not sure they’d want me to do that anyway," said McCann.

“It was difficult.

“We've put more restrictions in at the training ground about what we can and can't do at the training ground and the lads are following it to a tee, so we've got to keep on top of that.”

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