Our prediction for this Championship match:
Buoyed by a 2-1 win over Bristol City, Birmingham City will look to give fans yet another reason for celebration when they take on Hull City on Matchday 37. The Blues did well to put an end to their three-game winless run, with the team moving one step closer to securing the Championship survival. Birmingham City are 16 points clear of the relegation zone, meaning that they would be happy with one point from Saturday’s clash.
Talented attacker Tahith Chong should keep his place in the starting XI after finding the net at the weekend, while all Maxime Colin, Matija Sarkic, Troy Deeney, and Adan George are sidelined with injuries. The Tigers, on the other hand, failed to impress in a 2-0 loss to West Bromwich Albion. Hull City, though, are safe for now, and they should be happy with one point from the match as well. All Lewie Coyle, Nathan Baxter, Andy Cannon, and Josh Emmanuel should miss out with injuries.
Highlighted Player (George Friend):
George Friend has played for no less than nine English clubs so far in his career. Friend made his first-team debut for non-League club Exeter City on April 17, 2006 in a goalless draw with Forest Green Rovers and he stayed at St James Park until 2008. After ending his loan spells with Tiverton Town and Team Bath he joined Wolverhampton, but he made no more than seven appearances for the Wolves in the league.
The 188-cm-tall left-back, who is capable of playing as a centre-back as well, played for the likes of Millwall, Southend, Scunthorpe United and Exeter City on loan during his spell with Wolverhampton and at the end of the 2009/2010 season he signed a two-year deal with Doncaster Rovers. Friend made his Doncaster debut on August 7, 2010 in a 2-0 win over Preston and after three years at the club he was sold to Middlesbrough for a fee of £100,000.
The left-footed defender has been playing for Boro ever since and you should know that he made 24 appearances for the club in the 2016/2017 Premier League campaign.
Highlighted Team (Hull City):
Hull City are a professional football club that was founded back in 1904. The Tigers used to play their home games at Boothferry Park, but they moved to the KC Stadium in 2002. The stadium capacity is 24,450.
Hull impressed in the 2015/2016 Championship campaign and, as a result, they returned to the English Premier League. Hull City fans consider Leeds United their main rivals, but Sheffield United are regarded as Hull’s fierce rivals as well. Steve Bruce took over the reins at the club in 2012 and the experienced tactician helped the team book a place in the 2013/2014 FA Cup final, but Arsenal proved to be a big catch for the Tigers in the title decider.
Hull City finished the 2013/2014 Premier League campaign in 16th place in the standings to achieve their highest ever top flight finish. It has to be noted that Curtis Davies was named the team’s player of the year in the 2013/2014 season.