Preview: Hull City vs Stoke City - prediction, team news, lineups

On the verge of breaking into the top-two conversation, Hull City welcome Stoke City to the MKM Stadium for a New Year's Day clash in the Championship.

The Tigers rounded off 2025 with a narrow success at Middlesbrough, whilst the Potters suffered defeat at home to Sheffield United.

Match preview

Surviving in the second tier on goal difference last season ahead of Plymouth Argyle, Hull City are competing at the right end of the table this time around as they look to return to the Premier League for the first time since 2017.

Since a 4-1 drubbing at the hands of Middlesbrough at the beginning of December, the Tigers have enjoyed a five-game unbeaten run to strengthen their promotion chances, getting revenge on Boro last time out.

Netting his maiden goal of the campaign and only the third in his senior career, midfielder Darko Gyabi provided the decisive strike for Hull at the Riverside Stadium, where Kim Hellberg suffered his second defeat as Middlesbrough manager.

Collecting a highly-commendable 13 points from their last five matches, Sergej Jakirovic's men have flown up to fourth spot in the Championship standings, just two points and positions behind the automatic promotion places.

Hull should be relatively confident of extending their good form on Thursday afternoon, when they will be looking for a third consecutive success at the MKM Stadium, where they defeated both Wrexham and West Bromwich Albion in December.

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Since a routine 3-0 success over Charlton Athletic on November 25, Stoke City's Championship form has fallen off a cliff, with the Staffordshire outfit winning just one of their past seven league fixtures at the conclusion of 2025.

The out-of-form Potters stretched their winless run to three games on Monday night, when a first goal of the season from centre-back Ben Wilmot was not enough to prevent maximum points for Sheffield United at the bet365 Stadium.

Earning just a single point from their last three second-tier contests, Mark Robins's troops have slumped to 10th place in the Championship standings ahead of a New Year's Day trip to Hull, four points behind the playoffs.

Grabbing 14 points from 12 away matches to date, Stoke's overall record on the road is respectable but they have struggled in recent times, losing consecutive fixtures at Leicester City, Sheffield United, Ipswich Town and Watford.

Scoring just three goals across their last seven matches, the Potters attacking powers have misfired over the festive period, with the likes of Sorbas Thomas and Divin Mubama looking to return to their best form in 2026.

Hull City Championship form: L W W W D W

Stoke City Championship form: L L W L D L

Team News

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Scoring in his country's Africa Cup of Nations opener on December 23, Hull's Semi Ajayi is busy on duty with Nigeria in Morocco.

After scoring his first goal of the term against Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day, attacker Mohamed Belloumi suffered a hamstring injury.

The Algerian prospect joins the likes of Brandon Williams (calf) and leading goalscorer Joe Gelhardt (calf) in the medical room.

Seeing red during a cameo versus Sheffield United last time out, Stoke midfielder Ben Pearson is suspended for the trip to the MKM Stadium.

The Potters are struggling with a lack of options at full-back, with Junior Tchamadeu, Eric Bocat and Aaron Cresswell all unavailable.

Hull City possible starting lineup:

Pandur; Hughes, Egan, Famewo; Coyle, Crooks, Slater, Gyabi, McCarthy; Joseph, Millar

Stoke City possible starting lineup:

Johansson; Lawal, Phillips, Wilmot, Gibson; Seko, Nzonzi, Manhoef, Gallagher, Thomas; Mubama

We say: Hull City 1-0 Stoke City

Despite a number of notable absentees, Hull are continuing to pick up results and outperform their underlying numbers.

Stoke have been wretched on the road in recent times and could suffer a narrow New Year's Day defeat at the MKM Stadium.

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