Matthew Pennington joined Hull City on loan in a bid for more playing time after finding himself on the periphery at Everton, but the 25-year-old has struggled for opportunities with the Tigers and now finds his career at a crossroads.
He’s not the only Everton player struggling out on loan either, with Muhamed Besic (Sheffield United), Kieran Dowell (Derby) and Joao Virginia (Reading) having been short of minutes this season.
Pennington has made just three appearances for Hull this season, only one of which has come in the Championship, amassing a total of 197 minutes of football. Reece Burke and Jordy de Wijs have been preferred at centre-back while Eric Lichaj has been a regular at right-back.
Pennington was an unused substitute in the 2-1 win over Reading (August 10), and was left out of the matchday in the 1-1 draw with Brentford (August 17), 1-0 defeat to Blackburn (August 20) & 3-1 defeat to Bristol City (August 24).
The defender made his only league appearance in a 1-1 draw with Millwall (August 31) before the international break. Little changes two weeks later, however, with the defender being an unused substitute in the 2-2 draw with Wigan Athletic (September 14) & 3-0 win over Luton Town (September 21).
Pennington was then injured, missing the 2-2 draw with Cardiff City (September 28) before returning in October, but he didn’t come off the bench in the 1-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday (October 1) or 3-0 defeat to Huddersfield Town (October 5).
He’s one of many Everton players enduring a nightmare of a loan spell away, so time will tell if he sticks it out for the season or has the move cut short in January.