Hull City vs Chelsea – Match preview
After two similarly strong starts, both Hull and Chelsea’s seasons have seemingly stagnated – having both lost two and drawn one of their last three games. So when the two sides meet at the KC on Saturday both will be looking to get back on track with a win.
Chelsea will be very glad to hear that veteran stalwart John Terry is set to return to the side after an ankle ligament injury suffered against Swansea. The Blues’ defence has been criticised on multiple occasions since Terry’s absence – with Gary Cahill coming under particular pressure, following a succession of high-profile mistakes.
Hull City have seen their squad stretched to extreme limits this season, as turmoil continues to unfold at the club – with Hull owner Assem Allam unwilling to spend substantial amounts of money whilst he attempts to find a buyer for the club. This has become even more of a problem than first feared, with several first-team players such as Allan McGregor, Moses Odubajo and Alex Bruce all long-term injury concerns.
The Tigers have also seen Steve Bruce leave the club due to fears over the funds he’d receive for the upcoming season. Mike Phelan has since taken charge of the Tigers, leading them to an unprecedented win against champions Leicester City on the opening day of the season – and as a result, they’re now sitting four points above the relegation zone.
Coming into the game, Hull will be without Michael Dawson, Brian Lenihan and Greg Luer as well as the aforementioned absentees of McGregor, Bruce and Odubajo. Whilst Chelsea, on the other hand, will still be without Kurt Zouma.