Hull v CHELSEA: FA Cup Preview | OneFootball

Date: Saturday 25th January 2020

Venue: KCOM Stadium

Kick-off: 17:30 GMT

Toys might still be being thrown out of prams but they’ll have to be put aside for at least 90 minutes this evening, as today’s late kick-off sees us travel to the KCOM Stadium to take on Hull City in the FA Cup fourth round.

Aside from inconsistent form, Chelsea remain 4th in the Premier League but the draw against Arsenal’s 10 men midweek means we’ve taken just one point from the last two in the league. Hull seem to be having a reasonable season but come into the game off the back of two defeats in the Championship.

You’d like to think our players have had enough words with themselves to properly turn up today but like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates, you never know quite what you’re going to get from Chelsea.

MANAGER’S VIEWS

Going into today’s game, Hull manager Grant McCann, says “We’ll be looking to put a good show on. It’s no secret that the league is the most important thing for us but this game will be a good occasion for us so we’ll give it a good go. This is probably a nice distraction because we’ve lost two games.  We can go and enjoy the game and the occasion and give as much as we can for the football club to see where it takes them.  There will be some changes, but it will be a strong team going out there.”

Chelsea manager, Frank Lampard meanwhile, says “We respect the FA Cup. I do, the players do and this club has been fortunate enough to win it a fair few times in the modern era so we want to win it again.  People will argue whether top four is more important than the FA Cup but I don’t think we need to get into that one. We’re professionals so we want to win the game and get through to the next round.”

SQUAD NEWS

For Hull, Matthew Pennington (groin), Callum Elder (calf) and Jordy De Wijs (calf) are absent although Stephen Kingsley is a possible return, with Kamil Grosicki also close.

For Chelsea, Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Achilles), van Ginkel (ACL), Olivier Giroud (ankle), Tammy Abraham (ankle) and Christian Pulisic (abductor) are injured, whilst Kepa Arrizabalaga will be rested.

TEAMS

HULL (Possible line-up): Long; Lichaj, Burke, Tafazolli, Kingsley; Lopes, Kane; Bowen, Irvine, Samuelsen; Eaves

CHELSEA (Possible line-up): Caballero; Lamptey, Christensen, Zouma, Alonso; Barkley, Kovacic, Mount, Pedro; Hudson-Odoi; Batshuayi;

LAST MEETING (FA Cup)

Chelsea 4-0 Hull (16 February 2018)

CURRENT FORM (ALL)

HULL: LWWWLL

CHELSEA: WDWWLD

OTHER STUFF

PREDICTION

BBC Sport: Hull 0-2 Chelsea

Sportsmole: Hull 1-3 Chelsea