Mike Phelan admits Hull do not possess a squad capable of competing in the Premier League.

Phelan, caretaker manager of the newly-promoted Yorkshire club following Steve Bruce's departure last month, has just 13 first-team players to select from for the visit of champions Leicester.

Asked whether it was possible to compete in the English top flight in such circumstances, the 53-year-old said: 'I would say no, simply because of the injuries, and the injuries are not short-term.

'Most of them are longer term than we expected.'

Mike Phelan is pessimistic about the chances of Hull City this season amid an injury crisis

Hull face defending Premier League champions Leicester with 13 first team players available

Given their chronic player shortage as highlighted by Curtis Davies, it seemed inevitable that Hull would add to their squad before Friday's midday registration deadline.

That they did not was in keeping with a farcical pre-season that witnessed Bruce walking away only weeks after seeing his team secure an immediate Premier League return via a Wembley play-off win over Sheffield Wednesday.

The goalscorer from that match, Mohamed Diame, then quit the club for Newcastle in a £4.5million deal last week.

Staggeringly, Hull have not signed a single player since promotion in May – the only top-flight club yet to enter the transfer market.

It has left Phelan to concentrate on preparing a team that picks itself for the Saturday lunchtime contest – Scotland international Shaun Maloney and Slovakia international goalkeeper Dusan Kuciak will be joined on the bench by a posse of Under-21 players.

With a Chinese consortium interested in purchasing the club due to be at the match, uncertainty prevails at the KC Stadium, and there are no guarantees Phelan will remain in charge beyond this weekend.

Phelan's side are the only team yet to sign a player in the transfer window this summer

Dai Yongge and Hawken Xi Liu were at the club's Cottingham training on Tuesday, the same day Phelan met for talks with Hull vice-chairman Ehab Allam.

'We discussed how the club will move on going forward, what player targets we have – we have had targets on a list for a long time but some of them have now moved on to other clubs,' said Phelan.

'So we have had to readdress that and look at potential new signings into the building.

'We have to start again. I know it's a short window, and seems to be getting shorter and shorter, but the pressure is on now to do some business.'

After the high of last season's play-off win things have turned sour at Hull

Wales Euro 2016 pair Hal Robson-Kanu and James Chester were set for Hull before Bruce's departure.

A third Wales international Chris Gunter also featured on the wanted list while there was an interest in Paddy McNair before he signed for Sunderland.

HULL CITY: INJURY LIST Allan McGregor - Back Alex Bruce - Achilles Moses Odubajo - Knee Michael Dawson - Knee Harry Maguire - Foot Advertisement

But Phelan is pragmatic about the immediate task at hand.

'At the moment the remit is to take the team, be the assistant manager, do my job and that has happened all through pre-season since Steve has left,' he added.

'We have tried to prepare as best we can through all the issues along the way. I'm just looking forward to the game. We've prepared well, we've tried in pre-season to keep everything ticking over nicely.

'There have been disruptions, but I think these players have earned the right to play in the Premiership.

'We've done everything that has been asked of us. We just need that bit of support and help and the players need that support and help.

'I don't think there's ever been a caretaker manager in charge for the first game of a Premiership season but that's the way it's happened at this football club.'

Steve Bruce's departure lead to a number of potential deals falling through

With Michael Dawson, Alex Bruce and Harry Maguire among those sidelined through injury, Jake Livermore will play as an emergency centre back alongside Curtis Davies – not ideal against arguably the top -light's fastest forward line.

HULL: FIRST FIVE FIXTURES August 13 vs Leicester (H) August 20 vs Swansea (A) August 27 vs Manchester United (H) September 10 vs Burnley (A) September 24 vs Liverpool (A) Advertisement

A further challenge could be provided from the stands – although the anticipated crowd is below their lowest Premier League attendance of 21,469 against Aston Villa, among those that do turn out will be a hardcore of protestors against the current club owners, the Allam family.

Yet despite what is shaping as an insurmountable challenge, and the fact that the Hull hierarchy overlooked his credentials to consider other targets such as Chris Coleman, Gianfranco Zola and Roberto Martinez, Phelan - former No 2 to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United – still fancies a belated first crack at club management.