Hull City vs West Brom preview: Team news, lineups, prediction
Ryan Mason will be desperate to end West Brom’s dreadful away record when they travel to Hull City on Saturday.
The Baggies have lost seven consecutive away games in the Championship, and if that doesn’t come to an end against Hull, the 34-year-old will be right back in the firing line.
West Brom’s 2-0 win over Sheffield United on Friday leaves them 16th in the Championship, with Karlan Grant and Aune Heggebo on the scoresheet.
Mason’s side have an immediate chance to build on that result as they face Hull City at the MKM Stadium on 20 December.
West Brom News highlights everything you need to know ahead of the match.
Preview
Mason remains under intense pressure, but a win over sixth-placed Hull would certainly ease the anger among fans who have had enough of the manager.
The Tigers come into the match full of confidence, having beaten high-flyers Millwall 3-1 away from home.
Sergej Jakirovic’s side are performing well above expectations, and he has them in with a chance of playing Premier League football for the first time since 2016-17.
Hull have won six of their eleven matches at home, but have conceded 18 goals, meaning Heggebo could experience some joy in the North-East.
He’ll come up against ex-West Brom defender Semi Ajayi, who will play his first match against the Baggies since leaving B71 in the summer.
Form guide
Hull City (last six games all comps): L L W L W W
West Brom (last six games all comps): L D W L L W
Head-to-head
In 67 meetings against Hull, West Brom have a relatively promising record.
Having won 29 and drawn 18 of those meetings, Mason may feel confident that they can repeat the positive results of the past on Saturday.
The Baggies have only lost two of the past 17 matches against the Tigers, and are unbeaten in the last four of those.
West Brom drew 1-1 with Hull in March, with Isaac Price’s strike being cancelled out by Abu Kamara’s 79th-minute equaliser.
Their last trip to the MKM Stadium ended in a 2-1 win in November, with Grant and Josh Maja scoring twice in the opening 20 minutes.
Team news and predicted lineups
Mason faces several huge calls for his starting line-up against Hull, although it is unlikely he will make many changes.
Alex Mowatt should fit to replace Ousmane Diakite in midfield after missing the Sheffield United match with a foot injury.
Joe Wildsmith looks set to start again, with Josh Griffiths continuing to watch on from the sidelines, while Krystian Bielik and Nat Phillips will likely feature at the heart of the defence.
Isaac Price is slowly returning to his best form, while Mikey Johnston will undoubtedly have a huge influence on the outcome of the match.
As for the rest of the team, it makes sense for Mason to leave it unchanged, with Heggebo set to carry on his excellent form.
Hull City predicted XI: Pandur; Coyle, Ajayi, Hughes, Giles; Slater, Hadziahmetovic, Crooks, Belloumi, Joseph, Millar
West Brom predicted XI: Wildsmith; Campbell, Phillips, Bielik, Styles; Molumby, Mowatt, Price; Johnston, Heggebo, Grant
Prediction: Hull City 1-1 West Brom
The last 15 meetings between Hull and West Brom have not ended 0-0, and that record looks set to continue given both teams’ weaknesses in defence.
For Hull, left-back Ryan Giles leads the entire Championship for big chances created (11), and he has recorded the most assists in the division (eight).
George Campbell has a tough test ahead of him, but Johnston could cause the Hull defender some problems of his own.
Ultimately, a loss would be disastrous for Mason’s reign, and given the fact that he hasn’t lost the dressing room, a draw on Saturday isn’t far-fetched in the slightest.
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