Can Hull maintain their 100% record at Highbury?
Hull City travel to Highbury Stadium on Friday evening to take on a Fleetwood Town side who have made a slow start to this League One season after an unsuccessful playoff campaign last term. The Tigers were relegated finishing rock bottom of the Championship, suffering hugely from the losses of Kamil Grosicki and Jarrod Bowen in January, Grant McCann remains in charge and has seen his side show great spirit to begin the season in fine form. Four victories without conceding will have pleased the distant Tigers faithful, making them firm favourites against a Fleetwood side who have lost their last three in league.
Last time out
Hull were 1-0 victors at home to newly promoted Plymouth Argyle, it was their second result by that scoreline to go with a pair of 2-0 wins. Hakeeb Adelakun grabbed the only goal of the game after 10 minutes, in what was a very even game as the teams both created chances equating to 1.1 expected goals. The 24-year-old has had limited opportunities since leaving Scunthorpe United to join Bristol City in July 2018, a loan spell at Rotherham did not bare fruit last term but he has started brightly now with the Tigers until the end of the season. A direct goal involvement in each of his last two matches shows what a task Danny Andrew will have dealing with him down the right.
The Cod Army went through late heartbreak gifting relegation favourites Rochdale their first victory of the season. 2-1 it finished after in form Harvey Saunders got them back on level terms on 77 minutes, in the embryonic table Fleetwood are already four points off the top six race, a position they will be aiming for, Joey Barton would be disappointed should his side miss out.
Ones to watch
Harvey Saunders has backed up his goal at Rochdale with an EFL Trophy hattrick, in Barton’s men’s 3-0 win over Aston Villa U21. After just eight league appearances last term, the 23-year-old will be keen to make this his breakthrough season and with six goals in all competitions already, he is going in the right direction. New signing from Rochdale Callum Camps has looked the part in central midfield, the attacking midfield who shone in a bottom half side has bagged four times for Fleetwood, thriving now surrounded by better players.
Two of Grant McCann’s widemen have hit the ground running and they are Mallik Wilks and Keane Lewis-Potter. Both are very exciting with youth on their side and Wilks in particular has the pedigree and experience to prove he is above this level. With Doncaster Rovers in 2018/19 he managed 16 goals and 12 assists, an absolutely awesome tally for a winger. Lewis-Potter had limited opportunities in the Championship but seems more at home in the third tier, the 19-year-old has scored two of Hull’s six league goals.
The likes of Greg Docherty and George Honeyman are very impressive midfielders for this level and should make sure the Tigers take something from this tough Fleetwood side, looking to turn a corner.
Post bet chat Marcus's Tips:
Ones to watch in Harvey Saunders, Callum Camps and George Honeyman all got on the score sheet as Fleetwood hammered Hull 4-1.