Since January 19, Hull have enhanced their playoff ambitions having only lost one of their last 10 Championship matches, although they entered the international break following a run of four successive draws.
Nevertheless, Hull have already equalled their points tally of 58 when they finished 15th last season, and they still have nine games left to play this term, with Liam Rosenior’s men currently sitting seventh in the second-tier standings, just three points behind sixth-placed Norwich City in the final playoff spot.
Hull return to the MKM Stadium where they have struggled to come out on top since the turn of the year, winning just one of their last seven home league matches – a 1-0 victory over Millwall on February 3.
The Tigers have reason to be optimistic of completing their first-ever league double over Stoke, though, as the Potters have lost 11 of their last 15 matches across all competitions in 2024.
Stoke entered the international break after alternating between defeat and victory in their last five Championship games, most recently suffering a 3-0 home defeat to Norwich on March 16 – their 19th league loss of the campaign.
The pressure continues to mount on head coach Steven Schumacher, who has won just five of his 17 games in charge of the Potters since taking over in mid-December, with his side currently sitting 19th in the table and just two points above the relegation zone.
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Stoke can ill-afford to drop too many more points if they wish to avoid demotion to the third tier for the first time since 1998, and they now have eight games to drag themselves away from the dotted line, with only three of those against current top-half teams.
One of those is Friday’s clash with Hull, but Stoke have won each of their last two visits to MKM Stadium by an aggregate score of 5-0 – the Potters have never won three away games in a row against the Tigers.
The pressure continues to mount on head coach Steven Schumacher, who has won just five of his 17 games in charge of the Potters since taking over in mid-December, with his side currently sitting 19th in the table and just two points above the relegation zone.
