Premier League / maxliu / 07 November 2009 / Leave a comment

Stoke City come to the KC Stadium tomorrow and Hull's new chairman will be watching with great interest as his finger hovers over the fire button. Max Liu believes the game could be up for Phil Brown.

"It's hard to see where Hull's goals are going to come from so take the Stoke clean sheet at [3.15] and back 0-2 in the correct score market at [14.5]."

A tale of two cities, this one; two contrasting examples of how promoted teams can deal with life in the Premier League.

This time last year Hull were flying while one bookmaker had stopped taking bets on Stoke being relegated. One year on and Stoke lie 10 places ahead of Hull in ninth place and, should they win at the KC Stadium on Sunday, Phil Brown will probably lose his job.

Stoke's progress has been steady if not spectacular and almost exlusively based on home form. Hull, meanwhile, began life in the top flight in much more dramatic fashion, winning against Arsenal and Tottenham before embarking an equally dramatic decline.

The two managers personify their team's differing fortunes; Brown the egotistical showman who sang "My Way" through a megaphone after his side avoided relegation by a point at the end of last season; Tony Pulis, the authentic training ground man, the analytical mind of the unsung tactical genius ticking over underneath his baseball cap.

It's do or die for Brown so can he motivate his players to save him?

Not if recent form is anything to go by. Along with Blackburn, Hull have the worst defence in the Premier League, they haven't scored a league goal for over a month and, even at a generous [3.0], I can't justify backing them.

Stoke, at [2.66] is the bet. The Potters' progress is down to their home form but an impressive 0-1 win against Tottenham as well as decent points at Everton and Bolton suggests that Pulis is now quietly making his side a tougher proposition on the road.

It's hard to see where Hull's goals are going to come from so take the Stoke clean sheet at [3.15] and back 0-2 in the correct score market at [14.5]. Neither side are great in front of goal - Hull have scored four at home all season, Stoke have managed only three on their travels - so we'll back under 2.5 goals at [1.77].

Hull can't shake themselves out of their paralysis, even if they want to. I say that because Phil Brown is up there with Graeme Souness and Glenn Hoddle when it comes to upsetting players. His side have been in the losing habit too long and his fate is will be sealed here.

Tags: Hull City, Phil Brown, Premier League football betting odds, Premier League football betting tips, relegation betting, Relegation odds, Stoke City