Two sides with relegation fears meet on Thursday evening as Hull City welcome Middlesbrough to the KCOM Stadium in a must-win fixture for both teams.
Grant McCann’s Hull side currently sit above the relegation zone on goal difference after a thrilling 3-3 draw with Birmingham at the weekend.
It didn’t take long for Neil Warnock to make an impact on his new club as he picked up a vital 0-2 win against fellow strugglers Stoke City to ease relegation fears. The result was only Boro’s third win in their previous 14 fixtures, much to the relief of fans watching on in Teesside.
Hull are also in poor form going into this game and are without a win in their last 13 league outings and have conceded a staggering 33 goals across those matches, including five matches where the Tigers let in three or more goals.
You would have to go back to 21st December to see Hull’s last win at home when they beat Birmingham by three goals, an alarming fact which will come as no comfort for the fans.
The earlier season game between the two sides saw an entertaining draw as Hull came from two goals down to share the points, at the time the roles were reversed with City sitting comfortably in mid-table whilst Middlesbrough were hovering just above the drop zone.
Team News
Hull will see five senior players leave before Thursday as Eric Lichaj, Jackson Irvine, Stephen Kingsley, Markus Henriksen and Nouha Dicko failed to sign a new contract.
Grant McCann could name an unchanged side that drew at St Andrew's.
Middlesbrough said goodbye to defender Daniel Ayala and striker Rudy Gestede after they refused to continue at the club until the season's end.
No fresh injury concerns for Neil Warnock who could field a similar side that defeated Stoke.
Neil Warnock’s arrival has certainly lifted the mood on Teesside whilst the doom and gloom around Hull see no sign of lifting. The poor home form will only play into the visitors’ hands and I expect them to come out as comfortable winners. Hull did prove at the weekend they can score goals but with such a leaky defence and Warnock’s ability to make his teams disciplined I cannot see the Tigers purring.
Match Preview written by Dan Chenery.
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