Jakirovic Praises Hull's Fearless Performance After Chelsea Draw

Hull City walked out of west London with a point, a statement and a bruise or two to show for it.

They had trailed early to a sharp Morgan Rogers finish, yet by half-time the newly promoted side were leading one of the league’s heavyweights in their own backyard. They did it the hard way, too.

Mohamed Belloumi dragged them back into it, first pouncing on a loose moment from Jorrel Hato to level, then striking again with a shot that clipped Levi Colwill and wrong-footed the goalkeeper. Two chances, two goals, and suddenly Chelsea were rattled.

The hosts eventually hit back after the break, Cole Palmer threading a clever pass for Joao Pedro to find the equalizer. The pressure had been building, and this time Hull’s resistance cracked inside the box.

Jakirovic, though, was in no mood to dwell on what might have been.

“I feel good. We have to be happy. It's a huge result for us,” he told BBC Sport, his pride obvious after watching his side go toe-to-toe with elite opposition. “We took a point in a very demanding match. Eight points against very difficult opponents. We have to continue like this.”

A stunning Premier League return

Hull’s start to life back in the Premier League has been nothing short of remarkable. Unbeaten. Unflinching. Unafraid.

They stunned Manchester United 2-0 on opening day, then ground out a 1-0 win over Coventry City. A disciplined goalless draw with Aston Villa followed, and now this gritty, resourceful point at Chelsea. Four games, no defeats, and a growing sense that this is no ordinary survival scrap.

The Tigers are not just clinging on; they are swinging back.

Jakirovic knows, though, that the margins are thin at this level. He pointed to two huge moments that could have killed the game before Chelsea’s fightback.

“We had 2-1 at half-time and we had a 100% chance with McBurnie but Martinez's save was excellent,” he said. Later, another golden opening fell to Cho, only for the Chelsea goalkeeper to deny Hull again. “We had an excellent chance for Cho – Martinez saved again. Player of the match.”

The manager’s verdict was clear: the result was big, but the performance still has layers to improve.

“We have to control play better in the box because we can stop this [Chelsea goal],” he admitted, underlining the defensive sharpness required if Hull are to stay near the top end of the table for long.

Mendy injury casts a shadow

For all the positives, the night carried a worrying subplot.

Defender Nobel Mendy was forced off after a heavy collision, visibly struggling as he left the pitch. The concern was immediate, and Jakirovic later confirmed the seriousness of the situation.

“He went to hospital for a scan. He's dizzy and disorientated. We'll see. It's a concussion 100%,” the Hull boss said.

It was a stark reminder of the physical cost of this fearless approach. Hull are punching up, and right now they are landing blows. The question is how long they can keep swinging at this intensity in a league that never stops hitting back.