Hull City
- Hull City have won three of their last five games (D1, L1).
- Hull City have been the more impressive of the two sides this season and look the most likely winner in the Championship 2025-2026 season.
- Sergej Jakirovic’s side have been the more adventurous and attack-minded of the pair since his appointment in June 2025.
- His high-energy, vertical style of play, which includes lots of pressing and transition play, has certainly been reflected in the goals figures at the MKM Arena, where the Tigers have scored plenty but also conceded a few.
- Hull have won seven of their 12 home Championship matches this term, drawing two and losing three, but have been more solid in their last three at home, winning two, including last week’s 1-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion.
- Hull have conceded 18 goals in 12 home Championship games this term, an average of 1.50 per game, which is much higher than Stoke’s average of 1.08 goals conceded on the road.
Stoke
- Stoke have won just four of their 12 Championship away games this season, losing six.
- Mark Robins’ team are more structured, preferring to build their play from the back in a more measured, possession-based approach that gives them the platform to be progressive when they can.
- He has instilled a sense of structure and discipline upon the Potters since taking over in January 2025, but their recent form has been poor with one win, one draw and three defeats from the last five.
- Robins’ team have scored an average of 0.92 goals per away game in the Championship this year, which is a reflection of their inability to break teams down or play with the tempo that Hull City want to.
Head-to-Head
Jakirovic’s men have won just one of their last two meetings with Stoke, but that victory was in the Championship, coming 2-1 away at the bet365 Stadium four weeks ago.
Key Players
- Kyle Joseph has been in red-hot form in front of goal, having scored three of Hull’s last nine, and looks a more clinical pick than Joe Gelhardt, the talent who tops the scoring charts for the hosts with ten goals in 19 Championship appearances.
- They are also likely to have more to offer in the forward line on Thursday as Sorba Thomas, Stoke’s top scorer with eight league goals in 23 appearances, is unlikely to trouble the Tigers.
Betting Insights
- The hosts are very slight favorites at 2.54 to the 2.7 of Stoke, while the draw is 3.25.
- Our choice would be to take the Over 2.5 goals option at 1.93 as this should be an open game between two sides that lack discipline at the back.
Prediction
- The game will hinge on which manager can control the tempo of the game, with Hull’s frantic counterattacks against Stoke’s progressive build-up, and the Potters’ patience could make this a close contest.
- Hull’s superior home form and momentum in the Championship make us lean towards backing the home side to extend their recent winning run, but Stoke’s structure and organisation should keep them close.
