STAR PREVIEW: Hull City v Reading

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he profit on the column (since the World Cup in Brazil) is back above 100 points thanks to QPR coming back from 2-0 down to draw with Brighton last night. The draw was 11/5 with Star Sports.

Middlesbrough and Brighton now share the lead at the top of the Championship table on 43 points and a win for Hull tonight will take them to a share of third with 41 points.

They face a Reading side who have lost their last four away games and in the last three of those have managed just one goal. They are also currently without a manager since Steve Clarke was sacked. Martin Kuhl is acting as caretaker boss.

Historically, as you can see from the head to head stats below, there’s been little to choose between these two teams but they haven’t met since 2012.

Hull have been dealt a blow with the news that captain Michael Dawson is expected to be out until the New Year with a knee injury sustained in their 1-0 win over Bolton last week.

Hull City v Reading
Championship
19:45 Sky Sports 1 / Sky Sports 1 HD / Sky Sports 5 / Sky Sports 5 HD

HEAD TO HEAD RECORD
(Maximum 10 matches)
Jan 2012 CHAMPIONSHIP Reading 0-1 Hull
Aug 2011 CHAMPIONSHIP Hull 1-0 Reading
Jan 2011 CHAMPIONSHIP Reading 1-1 Hull
Dec 2010 CHAMPIONSHIP Hull 1-1 Reading
Nov 2005 CHAMPIONSHIP Reading 3-1 Hull
Oct 2005 CHAMPIONSHIP Hull 1-1 Reading
Mar 1994 LEAGUE DIV 2 Hull 1-2 Reading
Sep 1993 LEAGUE DIV 2 Reading 1-1 Hull
Feb 1993 LEAGUE DIV 2 Hull 1-1 Reading
Sep 1992 LEAGUE DIV 2 Reading 1-2 Hull

STARTING XI

Hull City
01 McGregor
02 Odubajo
12 Maguire
06 Davies
26 Robertson
27 Elmohamady
14 Livermore
07 Meyler
11 Clucas
09 Hernández
19 Akpom

Reading
01 Bond
02 Gunter
05 McShane
15 Ferdinand
03 A Taylor
06 Norwood
08 Hector
23 Williams
12 McCleary
07 Vydra
22 Blackman

It’s much easier to make a case out for Hull than Reading. Ideally, I’d have wanted a shade of odds-against but am happy enough to take the 5/6 for the Hull win. I did consider the Star Sports handicap markets on the game but think if Hull do manage to win it will be by a narrow margin so I’m keeping it simple.

RECOMMENDED BETS (scale of 1-50 points)

BACK HULL for 12 points at around 5/6 with Star Sports

RETURN SINCE START OF WORLD CUP: PROFIT 103.06 POINTS

What’s your view? CALL STAR SPORTS 08000 521 321