STEVE Bruce insists Eldin Jakupovic is ready to solve Hull City's goalkeeping crisis after graduating through English football's school of hard knocks.
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Unable to call upon both Allan McGregor and Steve Harper due to injury, Bruce will turn to third-choice Jakupovic when City travel to Liverpool this afternoon.
The trip to Anfield will give the 30-year-old only his seventh outing in City colours since joining on a free transfer from Greek side Aris Salonika in July 2012 and brings reward for his persistence during a difficult spell.
Although a debut season in English football saw Jakupovic struggle during City's promotion-winning campaign in the Championship, he responded well with an impressive loan spell with Leyton Orient last year.
That led to the one-time Switzerland international signing a new two-year deal over the summer and Bruce believes Jakupovic is now a new proposition after coming of age in the last 12 months.
"He was the classic one who just needed some games to get used to playing in England," said Bruce of his former FC Thun and Lokomotiv Moscow man.
"No disrespect to playing in Greece or Switzerland but it doesn't have the same physicality of playing in England.
"After he went down to Leyton Orient, where he did particularly well, we decided that he's got something to offer.
"I see him on the training ground and he's a very good goalkeeper. He just had to get used to playing in England."
Jakupovic will at least be up to speed for his Premier League return after replacing Harper as a 42nd-minute substitute in the 2-2 draw at Arsenal last weekend.
McGregor's shoulder injury means Jakupovic could be asked to play in the next three Premier League games leading up to the international break and Bruce takes heart from the understudy's recent appearances.
He said: "We played him at Old Trafford last year (in a 3-1 loss to Manchester United) and he did very well. He did very well at the Emirates last week too.
"I've got no problems with him. I wouldn't have given him that deal if I didn't think he was capable.
"He does not lack confidence, it was just getting used to our game. In Greece you can't get touched as a goalkeeper but here you can get bashed up a bit. It's taken time but he's certainly improved.
"It's very rare that you have two goalkeepers injured but that's why you name them and why every 25-man squad has three goalkeepers.
"You need cover for these situations and let's hope nothing happens to him, but I'm sure he'll be fine."
City's sudden injury problems see them travelling to Merseyside with numbers diminished. As well as losing Harper, Michael Dawson and Nikica Jelavic during last weekend's costly trip to Arsenal, a knee injury to Andy Robertson will almost certainly rule out the left wing-back.
Bruce will also have to call up 18-year-old Rory Watson to provide goalkeeping cover on the bench at Anfield.
York-born Watson, rejected by Leeds at 16, has impressed in his time at the KC and saved a penalty in a 1-0 reserves win on Monday.
