Preview: Derby County vs. Hull City

Steve Bruce's Hull City travel to Derby County on Friday evening knowing that a victory would send them into the automatic promotion places in the Championship table.

They will head into the encounter in good form, having been unbeaten from their last four outings. On top of that, they've won their last three matches on the road in succession.

However, in Derby they face a side that have put together a positive sequence of results at home. No team has left Pride Park with maximum points from the last seven matches in Derbyshire.

Despite speculation over his future, teenage midfielder Will Hughes is expected start in the midfield for the home team, who are likely to have Connor Sammon as a lone striker.

Meanwhile, the travelling Tigers will be without Alex Bruce because of suspension.

Recent form

Derby: LWDLWW

Hull: WLDWWW

Possible starting lineups

Derby: Legzdins; Brayford, Keogh, O'Brien, Roberts; Coutts, Hendrick, Bryson, Hughes, Jacobs; Sammon

Hull: Stockdale; Chester, McShane, Hobbs, Elmohamady; Brady, Evans, Meyler, Quinn, Koren; Simpson

Sports Mole says: 2-1