Hull vs Cardiff predictions: Tigers can take the points
- Cardiff have lost seven of their last eight Championship fixtures
- Hull have won all of their last six matches against Cardiff
- Recommended bet: Hull to win
Two of the Championship’s slow starters go head-to-head at the MKM Stadium with 16th-placed Hull hoping to make home advantage count against basement boys Cardiff.
Hull got their season up and running last Friday with a well-deserved 3-1 victory away to Stoke and they will be keen to follow by registering their first home win of the campaign.
Cardiff are stuck at the foot of the table with only one point from six games.
The Bluebirds’ hierarchy are anxious to stop the rot and are in the market for a new manager after last Sunday’s decision to part company with Erol Bulut.
Omer Riza has stepped up to take the reins on an interim basis and will be hoping to engineer a change of fortunes for the south Wales side.
Team news
The home side are still without Oscar Zambrano (muscle injury), Andy Smith, Dogukan Sinik (both leg) Ryan Longman (shoulder) and Harvey Cartwright (hand).
Free agent signing Joao Pedro will probably have to build up his fitness levels having not played since his summer release from Fenerbahce.
Cardiff interim boss Omer Riza will have to make do without suspended defender Joel Bagan, who was sent off during last Saturday’s 2-0 loss at home to Leeds.
Jesper Daland (ankle), Ryotaro Tsunoda (muscle strain), Isaak Davies (knee) and Kion Etete (leg) are also unavailable.
The stats
Hull have won all of their last six matches against Cardiff.
Four of Hull’s last five matches have featured less than three goals.
Cardiff have lost seven of their last eight Championship fixtures.
The Bluebirds have lost their last three games without scoring a goal.
Cardiff have conceded more than one goal in six of their last eight league games.
Prediction
Hull head coach Tim Walter was delighted to see his team win 3-1 at Stoke last Friday and he should have more reasons to celebrate after his charges tackle Cardiff this weekend.
Walter wants his players to commit to a brave, possession-based style of football and there were some understandable teething problems in the early part of the campaign.
The Tigers lost a lot of their key players from last season and their summer recruitment drive did not build up a head of steam until the closing weeks of the window.
However, Hull’s patience was eventually rewarded and there are signs that their new look squad could be a force in the division.
Walter’s side were far too slick for Stoke and they should have no problem coping with Cardiff, who are digging themselves into trouble.
Cardiff have featured in the top two divisions for the last 21 seasons but they have made a dreadful start to the campaign and could be toppled by the Tigers.
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