Stoke vs Hull predictions: Potters can pick up a much-needed win
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- Stoke have won five of their last seven matches against Hull
- Hull have gone eight matches without a victory
- Recommended bet: Stoke to win
Stoke squeezed through to the Carabao Cup fourth round with a penalty shootout success at home to Fleetwood on Tuesday, drawing 1-1 in normal time before winning 2-1 on spot-kicks, and they will be hoping to round off the week with a Championship victory over Hull.
The Potters are aiming to feature in the promotion race but have endured a mixed start with two wins and three defeats.
However, they have three more points on the board than Hull, who have not won a competitive game since April.
Hull lost 2-0 at home to Sheffield United last Friday and finished the weekend in the relegation zone.
Team news
Stoke's right-sided utility man Lynden Gooch (knee) was injured in last Saturday's 1-0 loss at Oxford and faces several weeks on the sidelines.
Ben Pearson (muscle strain) and Sam Gallagher (calf) are doubts and Ashley Phillips was forced off in the first half in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup tie against Fleetwood.
Dogukan Sinik and Andy Smith (both leg) miss out for Hull and Harvey Cartwright (hand) and Ryan Longman (shoulder) are doubts.
Free agent signing Steven Alzate is building up his match fitness but may not be ready to join the squad.
The stats
Stoke have won five of their last seven matches against Hull.
The Potters had won three successive Championship home games without conceding until a 2-1 loss to West Brom last month.
Four of Stoke’s last five Championship home fixtures have generated at least three goals.
Hull have gone eight matches without a victory.
The Tigers have kept only one clean sheet in their last nine fixtures.
Tim Walter’s side have failed to score in each of their last three games.
Prediction
Stoke slipped into the bottom half after last Saturday’s 1-0 loss at Oxford — a game in which they lost the shots on target count by eight to one — but they have been putting in some strong performances on home soil and can get the better of third-bottom Hull in the Potteries.
Five of Stoke’s eight competitive matches this season have been on the road and they will be pleased to get back to the bet365 Stadium, where they have won three of their last four Championship fixtures.
The Potters have brought in some talented players and may soon get to see the best of loanees Lewis Koumas and Tom Cannon, who have bags of potential.
Hull have been busy in the transfer market but they appear to have regressed since last season’s seventh-place finish.
The Tigers favour a possession-based game but they have been struggling in both penalty boxes and their defensive fragility could be exposed by Stoke.
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