Hull City Set to Battle Chelsea in Thrilling FA Cup Fourth Round Clash: Complete Match Preview and Predicted Lineups
Chelsea aim to steer clear of any surprises on Friday the 13th as Liam Rosenior returns to face his previous club Hull City in the FA Cup fourth round.
A disappointing Tuesday night witnessed Chelsea relinquish a two-goal advantage at Stamford Bridge against Leeds United, costing them valuable points in their Champions League qualification battle, though minimal opposition is anticipated at the MKM Stadium. After demolishing Championship side Charlton Athletic in the prior round during Rosenior's first match, the Blues should comfortably advance past Hull into the fifth round.
Rosenior featured 161 times for Hull across a five-year period and subsequently coached the Tigers for nearly 18 months, though the Chelsea manager won't show any favoritism toward his former team. Even a significantly altered lineup should demonstrate their superiority in Yorkshire.
Chelsea suffered three consecutive FA Cup final defeats between 2020 and 2022, unable to secure the trophy since their latest victory in 2018. Hull have never claimed the competition but reached the final in 2014, falling to Arsenal following extra time at Wembley.
The Tigers are soaring in the Championship, sitting fourth and merely seven points behind the leaders, though they'll require an exceptional display to achieve a remarkable upset under the lights. They've managed just four victories in 48 previous encounters, with their latest success dating back to 1988.
Here's Sports Illustrated's analysis of this captivating FA Cup matchup.
What Time Does Hull vs. Chelsea Kick-Off?
What Time Does Hull vs. Chelsea Kick-Off?
Hull vs. Chelsea Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
Hull vs. Chelsea Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
Current Form (All Competitions)
Current Form (All Competitions)
Hull (WWWDL) | Chelsea (WWLWD) |
|---|---|
Hull 2–3 Bristol City | Chelsea 2–2 Leeds |
Hull 0–0 Watford | Wolves 1–3 Chelsea |
Blackburn 0–1 Hull | Arsenal 1–0 Chelsea |
Hull 2–1 Swansea | Chelsea 3–2 West Ham |
Preston 0–3 Hull | Napoli 2–3 Chelsea |
How to Watch Hull vs. Chelsea on TV, Live Stream
How to Watch Hull vs. Chelsea on TV, Live Stream
Country | TV Channel/Live Stream |
|---|---|
United Kingdom | BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport Website, TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate, discovery+, discovery+ App |
United States | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Select, ESPN App, fuboTV |
Canada | Sportsnet World, Sportsnet Plus |
Mexico | N/A |
Hull Team News
Hull Team News
Sergej Jakirović will be missing several key squad members for Chelsea's arrival, making his team's task even more difficult.
Former Arsenal center-back Semi Ajayi is sidelined alongside Cody Drameh, Darko Gyabi, Matt Crooks, Eliot Matazo and Mohamed Belloumi.
There will be numerous recognizable faces for Chelsea fans watching the match, with former Premier League stars Oli McBurnie, John Lundstram, Paddy McNair and John Egan all expected to feature in the starting eleven.
Hull Predicted Lineup vs. Chelsea
Hull Predicted Lineup vs. Chelsea
Hull predicted lineup vs. Chelsea (3-4-1-2): Pandur; McNair, Egan, Hughes; Coyle, Slater, Lundstram, Giles; Gelhardt; Joseph, McBurnie.
Chelsea Team News
Chelsea Team News
Chelsea's casualty list is lengthy ahead of their trip to the MKM Stadium with Marc Cucurella being the latest addition. The Spanish defender sustained a hamstring problem during the 2–2 draw with Leeds and will be substituted by Jorrel Hato on Friday.
Tosin Adarabioyo and Roméo Lavia have returned to team training though their participation remains uncertain, while Reece James continues to be questionable as he recovers from illness.
Levi Colwill, Dário Essugo, Jamie Gittens, Mykahilo Mudryk and Filip Jörgensen are confirmed unavailable, while there might be a debut start for Mamadou Sarr at center-back after Rosenior suggested he had an "excellent opportunity" of receiving playing time at Hull.
There will be alterations to the squad that faltered against Leeds, with Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernández and João Pedro among those expected to be given a break.
Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs. Hull
Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs. Hull
Chelsea predicted lineup vs. Hull (4-2-3-1): Sánchez; Acheampong, Sarr, Badiashile, Hato; Caicedo, Santos; Neto, Estêvão, Garnacho; Delap.
Hull vs. Chelsea Score Prediction
Hull vs. Chelsea Score Prediction
Chelsea are expected to progress as Rosenior seeks his inaugural trophy with the club and even a rotated team should overcome Hull. Nevertheless, the Tigers are in excellent form and their Championship success will have them filled with belief.
Similar to Charlton, Lincoln City and Cardiff City in cup matches, Hull possess a genuine opportunity to find the net against a depleted Chelsea defense, but the offensive talent available to Rosenior should propel the Blues into the fifth round.