Preview: Hull City vs. Brentford · prediction, team news, line-ups

Hull City host Brentford at the MKM Stadium on Sunday 25 October, with kick-off at 08:00 Mexico City time, in Premier League Matchweek 8.

The Tigers are 11th on 9 points, while the Bees sit seventh on 10 after suffering their first defeat of the season against Liverpool.

Match preview

Hull City have made an uneven return to the Premier League. They have 9 points from seven games, with two wins, three draws and two defeats, and a goal difference of +1.

Sergej Jakirovic's side are winless in five in all competitions. They lost 1-0 at Fulham, drew 2-2 with Everton, lost 2-1 at Newcastle, drew 2-2 at Chelsea and fell 1-0 to Sunderland in the League Cup. In the league they have taken just one point from their last three games.

Home form is steadier. Hull have won one and drawn two of their three games at the MKM Stadium, scoring four and conceding two. Mo Belloumi leads the squad with three goals.

The concern is in attack. Oli McBurnie has failed to score in the first seven league games, and Sports Mole report that the pressure on the striker is growing.

Brentford arrive on 10 points with two wins, four draws and one defeat. They were unbeaten in their opening six league games until the 2-1 home loss to Liverpool, a match they finished with nine men after red cards for Yarmolyuk and Janelt.

Before that, they drew 2-2 at Aston Villa, thrashed Chelsea 3-0 and beat Reading 2-1 in the League Cup. Kevin Schade, on three goals, is the top scorer in Keith Andrews' squad.

Away from home, the Bees have not lost, but have not won either. They have drawn all three road games, scoring five and conceding five. At their own ground they have won two, drawn one and lost one, scoring eight and conceding three.

The recent head-to-head favours Brentford. In the last five meetings, all in the Championship, they won twice by 5-1 (February 2019 and February 2020), Hull won 2-0 in December 2018 and there were two 1-1 draws. This is the first meeting between the sides in six years.

One point and four places separate them in the table. Both lost on Saturday 17 October, so neither side wants to suffer back-to-back defeats.

Team news

Hull have a crowded treatment room. Butland, Targett, Hughes, Gyabi, Mendy, Matazo and Ilyas Ansah are out. Robinio Vaz (Achilles), Lucas Gourna-Douath (calf) and Mohamed-Ali Cho (muscle) are doubts.

Sports Mole predict Tim Iroegbunam to make his first start alongside Regan Slater, with Belloumi and Sorba Thomas on the flanks and McBurnie leading the attack. Jakirovic has admitted he will make changes after one point from three games.

Brentford are without the suspended Yehor Yarmolyuk and Vitaly Janelt, both sent off against Liverpool. Joshua Dasilva, Kaye Furo and Antoni Milambo are also out. Jannik Schuster returns after illness and a knock, while Sepp van den Berg and Nathan Collins are fit again.

Mamadou Sangare and Mathias Jensen are expected to form the midfield pivot.