It’s a big ‘un, no doubt about it. Mitchell Whiley looks ahead to a match that could well define the season’s outcome.
Arguably the biggest game this season as Hull City travel to the Riverside Stadium to face a Middlesbrough outfit in a top of the table ‘six-pointer’. Both sides have shown some inconsistency in form of late, but only a single point separates them in third and fourth position. With only ten matches left each team, the race for automatic promotion and the urge to keep Burnley within catching distance makes this a crucial fixture.
The month of March has not been particularly nice to Middlesbrough, winning only once against Wolves and losing three times to sides in the relegation battle – Blackburn, Rotherham and Charlton. However, form has not been the only issue at ‘Boro’ of late, as manager Aitor Karanka has been central to rumours of dressing room unrest. Watching on from afar for last week’s loss to Charlton, Karanka will be back in the dugout this week but is sure to be watched closely by all parties involved with the league. Karanka returns to a squad likely to be missing former Hull City player Daniel Ayala, a huge loss defensively. However, the Boro squad is not short of stars with the likes of Jordan Rhodes, Stewart Downing and Albert Adomah likely to take their spot in the starting eleven. Boro’s best player of late has been Gaston Ramirez, a player who failed to impress at Hull City in the Premier League last season. Three league goals since arriving on loan at the Riverside has seen him cement a place in the Middlesbrough starting eleven.
Hull City, like their hosts, have not enjoyed March. Losses to Birmingham in the league and Arsenal in the FA Cup were followed by consecutive 1-1 draws at home against MK Dons and Nottingham Forest. Neither Shaun Maloney nor Nick Powell will feature in the black and amber until after the international break, and they’ve been joined on the sidelines by David Meyler who has succumbed to illness. However, the timely return of central midfielder Jake Livermore has given Steve Bruce the likely option to play him alongside his former Spurs team mate Tom Huddlestone in the centre of the park. Curtis Davies’ confidence is sure to be boosted after signing a new two year deal with the club, and he looks set to defend alongside Andy Robertson, Michael Dawson and Moses Odubajo once again. The dilemma for Steve Bruce will be up front, with Hull City finding the net more than once in a match only once since January. Abel Hernandez has also only found the net once since January, but will more than likely resume his starting role behind Mo Diame up front.
Head-to-head history leans slightly in advantage of the hosts, having won twenty-four matches against the Tigers, with seventeen losses and seventeen draws. The last three meetings, however, have seen Hull City emerge victorious and with a clean sheet, including a 3-0 victory earlier in the season thanks to goals from Diame, Clucas and Huddlestone. The home ground advantage has proven a crucial factor in this match-up, with Hull City only winning once in the last ten visits to Middlesbrough.
Prediction: With frustration in both camps as they attempt to hang on to the coat-tails of leaders Burnley, this match is sure to be one full of action. Although both sides aren’t enjoying the greatest form, the losses Middlesbrough have been handed in their last four fixtures have been to sides well and truly in the bottom half of the division. Hull City’s away performances have been far from impressive this season, so it will take a lot of character for them to claim anything from this match. Both sides are known to have valiant defences and have conceded minimal goals throughout the season so odds would be in favour of a low-scoring match. With all these factors considered, the separating one will be the turmoil Aitor Karanka has found himself in. Middlesbrough 0, Hull City 1 thanks to an Abel Hernandez penalty.
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