After he completed a £2m move from Burton Albion to join Hull City, the feeling was that Leonid Slutsky had pulled off a great deal in signing Jackson Irvine.

The Australian had a terrific first season at Championship level last time out, scoring ten goals from midfield and playing a key part as the Brewers defied expectations to stay up.

However, even though it's very early days at his new club, fans were slightly bemused as to why he failed to feature in last night's 2-1 defeat to Fulham. Irvine also only played for 21 minutes in the 5-0 capitulation at Derby.

Yet, the ex-CSKA Moscow boss Slutsky revealed that they are still trying to work out what role the combative midfielder will play in the current set-up.

Speaking to the official site, Slutsky said: “He has come into the group late and we are looking at his optimal position in the team.”

He added: “We have a long season and a lot of matches, and Jackson Irvine is one player who can be effective for our team in the future.”

Given the side are coming off two consecutive defeats, the Russian manager could make changes when they host Sunderland on Saturday, with both sides desperate for a much-needed win. If he does, Irvine is likely to be one of the beneficiaries.

The Verdict

Jackson Irvine may not have featured much in the two games since his move from Burton, but he will surely cement a place in the Tigers XI sooner rather than later.

His determination and work-rate, combined with his ability to score goals from midfield mean that he could soon become a key part of Slutsky's squad.

Expect Irvine to take his chance as Hull makes changes for Sunderland.

What do you think Hull fans? Should Jackson Irvine start on Saturday? Let us know in the comments below.