Hull City have suffered yet more injury blows, with Nobel Mendy ruled out of Saturday's game at bottom-of-the-table Fulham, and Matt Targett's ankle injury worse than expected.
Centre-back Mendy has started all but one of Hull's Premier League matches this season, missing September's trip to Newcastle United under concussion protocols. He is one of the Tigers' few summer signings to cement his place in the team.
But a groin injury will keep him out at Craven Cottage, and the visit of Brentford eight days later.
The positivity of an excellent start to life back in the Premier League has come in front of a backdrop of ongoing injury issues which show no sign of abating.
With respect to Targett, who played against Hull in May's Championship play-off final, his absence is less significant having played just five minutes (plus stoppage time) in this season's Premier League.
The 31-year-old is a back-up option to Ryan Giles, and fellow summer singing Elliot Stroud had his best Tigers appearance as a substitute left-back in Sunday's 2-2 draw with Everton.
But the fact a twisted ankle will keep him out for two months is indicative of Hull's luck on that front. Jakirovic was taking comfort from the fact no surgery us required.
The back injury Ilyas Ansah joined with is taking longer to heal than the Tigers thought when they signed the striker.
"Ansah had one more scan, and it's a slight progress on healing, but not what we expected," commented coach Sergej Jakirovic. "So I don't know how many weeks (it will be before he is fit to make his debut)."
Midfielder Lucas Gourna and forward Mohamed Ali-Cho should both be pushing for places, but sat out the visit of Everton and will not face Fulham either.
"Gourna will skip this game," confirmed Jakirovic. "There is something in his calf. It was a good decision to spare him (against Everton), and next week he will start to train with us. He will miss Fulham and Ali Cho also. He will join us (for training) on Monday."
There is some good news in that goalkeeper Jack Butland is back a month-and-a-half early from the arm injury suffered in pre-season, whilst central defender Charlie Hughes is expected to join full train after November's international break having had hernia surgery in the summer.
Fulham are yet to win in the Premier League under new coach Alvaro Arbeloa, but Jakirovic is not in the mood to take them lightly.
"It's a tough game because when I watched Fulham, they could have much more points," he argued.
"They were a little bit unlucky with some games and we have to be very good there.
"They have good energy, especially a lot of young players, players with potential, quick players and in the last game they were very good, they are creating a lot of chances so we have to be on our maximum.
"I would not say that we are favourites but that we can play 50-50 games, why not?
"We have our qualities, we showed already we can compete there and so we have our tactical plan also so we will try to use this, use the momentum because they will be under the pressure.
"But we have to be at a high level."