Hull City v Everton: Tigers can chew a chunk of Toffee

Hull City v Everton
Saturday 08 January, 17:30
Live on BBC One

McCann's men in need of a boost

Having returned to the Championship as League One winners, Hull City are fighting to keep their heads above water in the second tier. The Tigers are four points above the bottom three, having won just six of their 24 games. They haven't won a league game since late November, and have lost the last two at Nottingham Forest and Blackpool.

Manager Grant McCann is struggling to cope with injuries and a COVID-19 outbreak, with Callum Elder and Josh Magennis potentially added to a long list of absentees. Both players picked up knocks during the 1-0 defeat at Blackpool.

Although goalscoring has been a problem for the Tigers in general (they have found the net just 20 times across 24 Championship matches), they have been more dangerous at the MKM Stadium. McCann's side has found the net at least twice in four of the last six home matches in the league, including the last three. Ex-Sunderland striker George Honeyman has scored in each of his last three home games, and all four of his league goals have come in his last eight outings.

Benitez struggling to end Toffees' malaise

It was always going to be difficult for Rafa Benitez to win over an Everton fanbase that was doubtless horrified by his successes at Liverpool, and it was always going to be tough to change the culture of inertia and underachievement at a club that hasn't finished in the top six of the Premier League since 2014. Carlo Ancelotti couldn't deliver tangible progress, despite having an expensively assembled squad at his disposal, and fellow Champions League winner Benitez is finding life on the blue side of Stanley Park even tougher than the Italian did.

Sporting director Marcel Brands has left the club after overseeing a ruinously expensive and ultimately fruitless transfer policy, although the Toffees continue to recruit. Exciting young full-backs Vitaliy Mykolenko and Nathan Patterson have been signed from Dynamo Kyiv and Rangers respectively, and they feel like genuinely progressive acquisitions.

On the field, the picture is bleak. Everton have taken just five points from their last 11 Premier League matches. On the road, they have lost five of their last seven top-flight games, and they haven't won since August. Benitez is known for his organisational abilities, but he has seen his side leak 32 goals in 18 league games, and they have lost half of those.

In mitigation, injuries have been a problem throughout the campaign. Richarlison, Andros Townsend and Yerry Mina are all on the sidelines, while Alex Iwobi is away at the African Cup of Nations.

Everton too short at odds-on

It's hard to contemplate backing Everton to win with any kind of confidence, and certainly not at 1.981/1. This is a Toffees team that lacks form and rhythm, and Benitez hasn't been able to find a way to rack up clean sheets.

Hull have only lost two of their last seven home matches in the league, this is a big game on TV, and the crowd can play their part. There's certainly an argument to say Hull can avoid defeat inside 90 minutes, so laying the visitors looks an attractive option.

If you want to be creative, and you think Hull can push the tie to extra time (there are no replays), you could put small stakes on Hull to win in extra time at 13/1 on the Sportsbook and Hull to win on penalties at 10/1.

Both teams can make their mark

Both Teams To Score is trading at 1.824/5, and that looks about right to me. A BTTS bet has landed in five of Hull's last eight home games, while both teams have found the net in seven of Everton's last ten games, including the last five.

Calvert-Lewin to begin his resurgence?

Everton sorely missed the goalscoring talents of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and the England striker made his comeback against Brighton in a chaotic 3-2 defeat. He missed a penalty, but he has scored in three of his four competitive appearances this term, and he's attractively priced at 11/10 in the To Score market. Keep an eye on the team news, as at time of writing, Calvert-Lewin was a slight doubt with a muscle injury.

On the Hull side of things, the in-form George Honeyman is a chunky 4/1.