Hull City vs Middlesbrough — Match Preview
The Friday night lights shine on the MKM Stadium as Hull City welcome automatic promotion chasers Middlesbrough for a high-stakes Championship clash.
For Hull City, managed by Sergej Jakirović, this season has been a pleasant surprise. Sitting just outside the playoff places in 9th, the Tigers have shown resilience, typified by their dramatic 2-1 away win at Stoke City last weekend. However, consistency at home remains a hurdle, having recently lost 2-0 to Ipswich. With a growing injury list, Jakirović will need his squad to dig deep to maintain their top-six push.
Middlesbrough arrive on Humberside sitting 2nd in the table, firmly in the hunt for a Premier League return. Life under new manager Kim Hellberg—who replaced Wolves-bound Rob Edwards—has started positively, with a solid 2-1 win over Derby County steadying the ship after a chaotic loss to Coventry. Boro possess one of the league’s most dangerous attacks, led by the creative brilliance of Morgan Whittaker, but their away form (draws at Oxford and Leicester) suggests they can be frustrated on the road.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough — Quick Match Info
- Fixture: Hull City vs Middlesbrough
- Competition: EFL Championship (Matchday 19)
- Venue: MKM Stadium, Hull (Capacity: 25,586)
- Date: Friday, 05 December 2025
- Kickoff Time: 20:00 GMT / 01:30 IST (Saturday)
- Referee: Dean Whitestone
- TV Channel (UK): Sky Sports Football
- TV Channel (International): Tigers+, MFC Live
- Live Stream: Sky Go, FanCode (India)
Hull City vs Middlesbrough — Match Context (2025/26 Season)
Hull City:
- Position: 9th in Championship (28 Points).
- Form: Mixed. They have won 2 and lost 3 of their last 5. The attack is potent (30 goals scored), but the defense is leaky (30 goals conceded), making their games incredibly open.
- Current Challenge: Managing a mounting injury crisis. Without key forwards like McBurnie and Millar, the burden falls on Joe Gelhardt and Enis Destan to provide the firepower.
Middlesbrough:
- Position: 2nd in Championship (33 Points).
- Form: Strong but occasionally vulnerable. They have lost just 3 times all season. The 2-1 win vs Derby was crucial to keep pressure on league leaders Coventry City.
- Current Challenge: Defensive injuries. Missing key center-backs like Lenihan and Fry means the backline is makeshift, which an aggressive team like Hull could exploit.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough — What’s at Stake
For Hull City:
- Playoff Credibility: A win against a top-2 side would be a massive statement and could vault them back into the playoff places (6th is currently 29 points).
For Middlesbrough:
- Automatic Spot Security: With the pack chasing them tight, dropping points here could see them slip out of the top two. They need to prove they can win tough away games under Hellberg.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough — Team Form
Hull City (Last 5 Matches):
- W vs Stoke City (2-1)
- L vs Ipswich Town (0-2)
- L vs QPR (2-3)
- W vs Portsmouth (3-2)
- L vs Derby County (1-2)
Middlesbrough (Last 5 Matches):
- W vs Derby County (2-1)
- L vs Coventry City (2-4)
- D vs Oxford Utd (1-1)
- W vs Birmingham City (2-1)
- D vs Leicester City (1-1)
Hull City vs Middlesbrough — Team News
Hull City:
- Oli McBurnie: Out (Knee Injury – A massive miss for their aerial threat).
- Liam Millar: Out (Knee Injury – Their most direct winger is unavailable).
- Kasey Palmer: Out (Knee Injury).
- Cody Drameh: Questionable (Injury). Lewie Coyle will continue to captain the side from right-back.
- Selection: Matt Crooks starts in midfield against his former club, adding a layer of narrative to the battle. Enis Destan gets the nod up top to replace McBurnie’s physical presence.
Middlesbrough:
- Darragh Lenihan: Out (Achilles Tendon – Long-term absentee).
- Abdoulaye Kanté: Out (Groin Injury).
- George Edmundson: Out (Inactive).
- Dael Fry: Questionable (Injury – unlikely to risk him).
- Goalkeeper Situation: With Seny Dieng out long-term (Achilles), Sol Brynn continues between the sticks.
- Attack: Tommy Conway leads the line, supported by the dangerous trio of Whittaker, Burgzorg, and Browne.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough — Head to Head
- 01 Jan 2025: Hull 0–1 Middlesbrough
- 30 Nov 2024: Middlesbrough 3–1 Hull
- 11 Apr 2024: Hull 2–2 Middlesbrough
- 14 Dec 2023: Middlesbrough 1–2 Hull
- 20 Apr 2023: Middlesbrough 3–1 Hull
Hull City vs Middlesbrough — Predicted Lineups
Hull City (4-2-3-1):
Jakirović relies on a technical midfield to control the game.
- GK: Ivor Pandur
- RB: Lewie Coyle (C)
- CB: Semi Ajayi (Note: Egan listed in prompt, likely partnership Ajayi/Egan) -> John Egan
- CB: Charlie Hughes
- LB: Ryan Giles
- CDM: Amir Hadžiahmetović
- CDM: Regan Slater
- RW: Kyle Joseph (Playing wide right or second striker)
- CAM: Matt Crooks
- LW: Joe Gelhardt (Drifting inside)
- ST: Enis Destan
Middlesbrough (4-2-3-1):
Hellberg sticks to an attacking shape with creative width.
- GK: Sol Brynn
- RB: Luke Ayling (User listed Ayling in lineup, conflicting with ‘injury status’ elsewhere, trusting lineup provided) -> Luke Ayling
- CB: Alfie Jones (Note: Jones usually Hull player? User listed him for Boro. Assuming transfer or user data specific: Alfie Jones)
- CB: Matt Targett (Playing LCB or LB) -> Callum Brittain (RB) & Matt Targett (LB) in user list. Correction based on user lineup:
- GK: Sol Brynn
- RB: Callum Brittain
- CB: Luke Ayling (Shifted to CB due to injury crisis)
- CB: Alfie Jones (User data specific)
- LB: Matt Targett
- CDM: Hayden Hackney
- CDM: Aidan Morris
- RW: Morgan Whittaker
- CAM: Alan Browne
- LW: Delano Burgzorg
- ST: Tommy Conway
Hull City vs Middlesbrough — Impact Bench Options
Hull City:
- Mohamed Belloumi: Explosive winger returning from injury. If Hull need a spark in the last 20 minutes, he is the man.
- Xavier Simons: Offers defensive stability if they need to close out a lead.
Middlesbrough:
- Finn Azaz: A creative playmaker who can unlock tight defenses if Browne is struggling.
- Emmanuel Latte Lath: Pure pace against a tiring Hull defense could be lethal late on.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough — Tactical Outlook
Hull City:
- Playing Style: High Risk, High Reward. Hull score and concede in almost every game. They will look to overload the midfield with Crooks and Slater, using Ryan Giles (a former Boro player) to deliver crosses from deep.
- Weakness: Transition Defense. With Hughes and Egan not being the fastest CB pairing, Boro’s Whittaker and Conway will look to exploit space in behind on the counter.
Middlesbrough:
- Playing Style: Hellberg-Ball (Verticality). Hellberg prefers fast, vertical passing. Hayden Hackney is key to breaking lines. They will target Hull’s left side, where Giles pushes high, leaving space for Morgan Whittaker to cut inside.
- Strength: Individual Quality. Whittaker is arguably the best player in the league. He can win this game on his own with a moment of magic.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough — Key Battles
| Matchup | Battle Type | Edge |
| Ryan Giles vs. Morgan Whittaker | The Reunion: Giles (ex-Boro) loves to attack. Whittaker is deadly when given space. If Giles pushes too high, Whittaker destroys Hull. | Middlesbrough |
| Regan Slater vs. Hayden Hackney | Midfield Engine: Both are energetic ball-carriers. Hackney has more creative vision, but Slater is a pest. | Tie |
| Enis Destan vs. Luke Ayling | Physical Duel: Ayling is an experienced fullback playing CB (in this lineup). Destan is a physical striker. He will try to dominate Ayling in the air. | Hull City |
Hull City vs Middlesbrough — Match-Defining Factors
- Matt Crooks vs His Old Club: Crooks was a fan favorite at Boro. Playing in the #10 role, his physical presence in the box could be the difference for Hull.
- Defensive Fragility: Both teams are missing key defenders (Lenihan for Boro, maybe Drameh for Hull). This screams “Both Teams to Score.”
- First Goal Importance: Hull heads can drop at home (see Ipswich game). If Boro score first, the MKM Stadium might get anxious.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough — Prediction
Score Prediction: Hull City 2–2 Middlesbrough
Betting Insights:
- Outcome: Draw or Over 3.5 Goals.
- Both Teams to Score: YES (Almost guaranteed given the stats: 30:30 for Hull).
- Anytime Goalscorer: Morgan Whittaker (Boro) or Matt Crooks (Hull).
Analysis: Neither team can defend well right now, but both have exciting attacking talent. Hull are spirited under Jakirović, but Boro have slightly more quality in the final third. Expect a chaotic, entertaining Friday night thriller where a draw feels like a fair result for two playoff contenders.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough — Final Word
This is a battle of two teams who prefer to attack rather than defend. Middlesbrough are the favorites on paper, but Hull City have a habit of dragging teams into chaotic shootouts. With narratives aplenty—Crooks vs Boro, Giles vs Boro, Hellberg’s new era—this should be one of the games of the weekend.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough — FAQs
When is the Hull vs Middlesbrough match?
The match kicks off on Friday, 05 December 2025, at 20:00 GMT.
Is Oli McBurnie playing?
No, Oli McBurnie is ruled out with a knee injury.
Who is the Middlesbrough manager?
Kim Hellberg is the new manager, having recently taken charge.
Where can I watch the match in India?
You can stream the match live on FanCode.
Call to Action — SportsphereArena Community
Will Boro keep their auto-promotion spot, or will Hull upset the odds? Drop your score predictions below!
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