PREVIEW: Sky Blues head to Hull City

The Sky Blues will face Hull City at 3pm at the MKM STadi

26 August 2022

The Sky Blues are set to take on Hull City at the MKM Stadium as they resume their Championship campaign.

Fact File

Name: Hull City Association Football Club
Founded: 1904
Stadium: MKM Stadium
Capacity: 25,400
Nickname: The Tigers
Address: MKM Stadium, West Park, Hull, HU3 6HU.
Pitch Size: 125 x 81 yards

The Opposition: The Tigers

Hull City have had a strong start to the season, currently sat in sixth after their first five games.

The Tigers enjoyed an opening day victory against Bristol City, as well strong back-to-back outings with a win and a draw against newly-demoted Norwich and Burnley, respectively.

Hull City.jpeg

After welcoming new ownership to the club after the turn of the year, the Tigers have had a productive summer window with hopes of building on their 19th-placed finish last term.

Notable additions include Jean Michael Seri, Allahyar Sayyadmanesh, and Oscar Estupinan- the club’s current top goalscorer this season (4).

The Manager: Shota Avreladze

Tigers boss Shota Avreladze began his playing career in his home country Georgia before sealing a move to Ajax in 1997.

Avreladze played a part in two league title triumphs for Ajax and then moved onto Rangers where he continued to score goals to secure a further four domestic cup wins.

Shota Avreladze.jpeg

The Georgian rounded off his career with spells at AZ Alkmaar and Levante, before returning to Alkmaar as an assistant.

From there, he moved onto Kayserispor, Kasimpasa and Trabzonspor- where he formerly played- and was then appointed Maccabi Tel Aviv manager in 2016.

He then found his way to Pakhtakor Tashkent FK, in Uzbekistan, where he spent three years prior to his move to Hull City.

Last Time We Met: Sky Blues 0-2 Hull City

A first-half sucker punch reduced the Sky Blues to a 2-0 defeat at the Coventry Building Society Arena the last time the two side met.

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Positive Covid-19 cases for Mark Robins, Adi Viveash, and Dennis Lawrence saw Sky Blues Under-23s coach Luke Tisdale lead out the side in an unprecedented turn of events.

Richard Smallwood gave the visitors the lead after four minutes before Ryan Longman’s fierce strike doubled the Tigers’ lead before half-time.

An improved performance in the second half saw the Sky Blues men mount a comeback charge, which looked to be alive late on when Ian Maatsen volleyed home, but the goal was chalked off when referee Thomas Bramall concluded the ball the did not cross the line.

Sky Blues XI: Simon Moore (GK), Fankaty Dabo, Dom Hyam, Jake Clarke-Salter, Ian Maatsen, Ben Sheaf, Jamie Allen (Jordan Shipley 70’), Gustavo Hamer (Martyn Waghorn 78’), Callum O'Hare, Matty Godden (C) (Fabio Tavares 70’), Viktor Gyokeres.

Unused Subs: Ben Wilson (GK), Josh Reid, Ryan Howley, Will Bapaga

Head-to-Head Record

Sky Blues wins - 17

Draws - 9

Hull City wins - 19

Club Connection: Cyrus Christie

Born and raised in Coventry, Cyrus Christie started his career with the Sky Blues, where he went on to make over 100 appearances for the club.

His debut came during the 2010-11 season, under the management of Aidy Boothroyd, and made 37 league outings at Championship level the following campaign.

After the club fell to League One, Christie's development continued, earning a move to Derby County for which the Sky Blues recieved an undisclosed fee.

An impressive three seasons at Pride Park saw him move to Middlesbrough and then Fulham, with whom he would go on to make 23 appearances in the Premier League.

Loan spells with Nottingham Forest and Swansea would follow, before Christie completed a permanent move to Hull City on the eve of this weekend's fixture.

Match Officials

Oliver Langford is the man in the middle for the Sky Blues’ clash with the Tigers.

Langford has officiated City seven times previously, overseeing the Sky Blues for three wins, two draws, and two losses, whilst dishing out seven yellow cards.

Shaun Hudson and Mark Russell will act as linesman and Andy Haines will be the fourth official.

Match Previews

Match Reports

REPORT: Hull City 3-2 Sky Blues

Narrow defeat in five-goal thriller...

27 August 2022

An Oscar Estupinan hat-trick saw the Sky Blues fall to a 3-2 defeat to Hull City at the MKM Stadium.

Two goals in the first and one in the second from Tigers' striker Oscar Estupinan sealed the victory for the hosts on this occassion.

Matty Godden chipped in with a pair, but his brace left the Sky Blues just short of picking up any points on the road.

The hosts took the lead when Oscar Estupinan bundled the ball home following Lewie Coyle’s initial effort.

The Sky Blues looked to have levelled the tie soon after when Matty Godden’s superb header nestled in the back of the net, only to be ruled out for offside.

But Godden soon had his goal. Viktor Gyokeres’ drilled pass found Kasey Palmer who nipped in front of his defender to win a penalty to which Godden stepped up and dispatched calmly.

Mark Robins’ men continued to press the Tigers, but it was the hosts that grabbed the go-ahead goal when Estupinan bagged to regain the lead.

HALF-TIME: Hull City 2-1 Sky Blues

Ten minutes after the restart, Estupinan poached his hat-trick, extending the Tigers’ lead to two goals.

City were tantalisingly close to clawing one back when Josh Eccles’ cross found Jake Bidwell at the far post, but his effort was met by a sublime save by Matt Ingram.

The contest was sparked into life moments later, however, when Godden leapt high to head home off the back of Michael Rose’s near post flick.

A third nearly followed for the Sky Blues after an intricate piece of team play around the edge of the box, but the attack failed to materialise after Jamie Allen blazed over the bar.

The Sky Blues pressed on for the remainder of regualr time, but were unable to find that crucial equaliser.

FULL-TIME: Hull City 3-2 Sky Blues

Scorers: Oscar Estupinan (11’, 43’, 57’), Matty Godden (30’, 70’)

Yellow cards: Michael Rose (58’), Regan Slater (80’), Kyle McFadzean (82’)

Attendance: 17,838

Hull City XI: Matt Ingram (GK), Lewie Coyle (C), Alfie Jones, Tobias Figueiredo, Jacob Greaves, Callum Elder, Ryan Woods Randell Williams 79’), Regan Slater, Vaughn Covil (Andy Cannon 25’), Benjamin Tetteh (Cyrus Christi 90'), Oscar Estupinan (Ryan Longman 79’).

Unused subs: Nathan Baxter (GK), Sean McLoughlin, Tyler Smith.

Sky Blues XI: Simon Moore (GK), Fankaty Dabo (Josh Eccles 66’), Michael Rose, Kyle McFadzean (C) (Tyler Walker 84'), Jonathan Panzo (Callum Doyle 66’), Jake Bidwell, Ben Sheaf, Jamie Allen, Kasey Palmer (Martyn Waghorn 66’), Matty Godden, Viktor Gyökeres.

Unused subs: Ben Wilson (GK), Jack Burroughs, Fabio Tavares.