Oli McBurnie has called for greater fairness from Premier League referees after a punishing run of injuries for the Hull City forward. The striker admits his own disciplinary record is a problem as he prepares for Saturday's home game against Ipswich Town.
McBurnie suffered a broken finger in the 2-2 draw with Everton and then a broken rib last Sunday against Brentford, a match where he was coughing up blood at half-time after a challenge from Aaron Hickey. Manager Sergej Jakirovic noted that incident, like many others, went unpunished. "The one thing that really frustrates me is that if I get a nudge and it's not a foul, I'll give the centre half a nudge and it's a foul," McBurnie said. "That's one thing that's very frustrating for me, I don't really understand how that all works."
Suspension threat looms
The physical toll comes with a concurrent disciplinary concern. McBurnie is on four yellow cards, a tally he shares with teammate Matt Crooks. He picked up his fourth against Everton and knows another this weekend would trigger a one-match ban, ruling him out of next Saturday's trip to face champions Arsenal. "It does have an impact on the way I play," he admitted. "If I am half a second late or my arm is a bit higher than what it's supposed to be when I'm jumping [I'm in trouble]. Again, it's my own fault for getting four yellow cards, I guess."
He faces a nervous wait until the slate is wiped clean after the 19th game of the season. The 29-year-old did praise the communication from referee Rob Jones during the Brentford match but reiterated his desire for consistency. "If we're going into a game where some referees might like to let a bit more play, that's fine with me as long as it works both ways," McBurnie said.
Context for the clash
His plea comes with Hull City sitting 10th in the Premier League on 10 points after eight games. Their recent form shows two draws and two losses, including last weekend's 1-1 stalemate with Brentford where McBurnie scored a 24th-minute penalty. The team has scored nine goals this season, with M. Belloumi the top scorer on three. They now face an Ipswich side currently 12th, looking to avenge a 1-0 defeat from the last meeting in March. The full fixtures list shows a busy period ahead after the international break.
McBurnie's availability is key for a squad seeking more consistency in both performance and fortune. He will lead the line at the MKM Stadium this Saturday aiming to find the net without finding his way into the referee's notebook.
First reported at google.com
