Preview:Hull City vs Charlton Athletic - prediction, team news, lineups

Two sides only separated by goal difference around the Championship playoff spots will do battle at the MKM Stadium on Saturday, as Hull City welcome Charlton Athletic.

Having both managed consecutive victories since the October international break, the hosts sit seventh while their visitors climbed into fifth spot in midweek.

Match preview

Hull City head back into action at the MKM Stadium on Saturday in search of a fourth straight Championship victory and a top-six spot, having enjoyed an impressive start to life under Sergej Jakirovic.

After escaping relegation by the narrowest of margins last time around and turning to Jakirovic over the summer, they have earned 18 points from their first 11 outings on the 2025-26 term, with only league leaders Coventry City topping their tally of 19 goals.

The Tigers headed into the October international break on the back of a 1-0 triumph over Sheffield United, and they have picked up where they left off on their return, firstly visiting Birmingham City last weekend and winning 3-2 thanks to a Jack Robinson own goal and goals from Regan Slater and Joe Gelhardt.

Leicester City then visited the MKM Stadium on Tuesday, and Hull made it three straight wins in England's second tier for the first time in over a year, holding on for a 2-1 triumph after Liam Millar and Gelhardt had them 2-0 up in the first half.

Now sitting seventh and only trailing their fifth-placed visitors on goal difference and third-placed Millwall by two points, Jakirovic's side will aim to further strengthen their position at the top end of the division and keep building momentum with another victory on Saturday.

Their visitors, meanwhile, head north aiming to extend their own winning run and establish themselves in the top six.

After winning promotion through the League One playoffs last time around, Charlton Athletic have enjoyed a seamless transition to life back in the Championship under the management of Nathan Jones, also picking up 18 points from their first 11 matches.

Their strength has come in defence thus far, with only three teams conceding fewer than the nine goals that Jones's side have allowed, and they head into the weekend's trip on the back of consecutive victories.

On their return from the October break, the Addicks hosted Sheffield Wednesday last weekend and won 2-1 thanks to goals from Sonny Carey and Reece Burke, before they visited promotion-chasing Ipswich Town on Tuesday and dished out a 3-0 beating with Carey, Macaulay Gillesphey and Miles Leaburn on the scoresheet in the second half.

Now sitting fifth in their first season back in the second tier and within touching distance of the top three, Charlton Athletic head to the MKM Stadium looking to make it three straight wins.

Hull City Championship form:

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Charlton Athletic Championship form:

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Team News

Jakirovic will field a similar Hull City starting XI from Tuesday's 2-1 win over Leicester, with Bachir Belloumi, John Lundstram, Eliot Matazo, Kasey Palmer and Brandon Williams remaining out of contention.

Ryan Giles is a fresh concern after being forced off in that game, though, and Akin Famewo may come in on the left-hand side of the defence if he is not deemed fit, while John Egan will hope to return in the middle alongside Charlie Hughes after dropping out for Semi Ajayi in midweek.

Key forward Oli McBurnie, who has netted six league goals since his summer arrival, also missed out on the Leicester match, and if he does not return to fitness in time to feature, Joe Gelhardt, Kyle Joseph and Liam Millar will again line up in attack.

Charlton Athletic should also avoid making many changes from their impressive midweek win, with defender Joe Edwards and attacker Matt Godden remaining sidelined by injuries.

Miles Leaburn has a claim to come into the attack from the outset after scoring off the bench on Tuesday, though, with Isaac Olaofe and Charlie Kelman preferred from the outset against Ipswich.

Sonny Carey will remain a key man in midfield ahead of Greg Docherty and Conor Coventry, having contributed four Championship goals so far this season.

Hull City possible starting lineup:

Pandur; Drameh, Egan, Hughes, Famewo; Hadziahmetovic, Slater; Millar, Crooks, Joseph; Gelhardt

Charlton Athletic possible starting lineup:

Kaminski; Ramsay, Jones, Gillesphey, Bell, Bree; Docherty, Carey, Coventry; Olaofe, Leaburn

We say: Hull City 1-1 Charlton Athletic

Saturday's contest promises to be an intriguing one, with Hull City's games often proving high-scoring at both ends of the pitch and Charlton boasting one of the division's strongest defences.

Both heading into the meeting with momentum, we anticipate a share of the spoils at the MKM Stadium.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.