Manchester City v Hull preview: Pep Guardiola's side seek home win

By James Walker-Roberts

Image: Sergio Aguero has scored in his last three Premier League matches

Manchester City will be bidding to keep their Premier League top-four challenge on track when they host Hull on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola's side have won just one of their last six matches in all competitions.

While they are fourth in the Premier League, Arsenal and Manchester United could close to a point behind if they win their games in hand.

Guardiola conceded after the 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on Wednesday that the title is "gone".

"It's between Chelsea and Tottenham now," he said. "Now we have to think about qualifying for the Champions League and finishing in the top four."

We look ahead to Saturday's Premier League games
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Hull have moved out of the relegation zone after earning three wins in their last four games.

The Tigers have beaten West Ham and Middlesbrough in the last week and have taken 17 points from 11 games since Marco Silva's appointment in early January.

Team news

Gabriel Jesus has returned to training for Man City but will not be involved this weekend.

Also See:

Bacary Sagna misses out through injury and Ilkay Gundogan is out for the season.

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Hull's Harry Maguire has been ruled out with a knock but striker Abel Hernandez is available after a dead leg.

Dieumerci Mbokani (hamstring), Omar Elabdellaoui (back) and Tom Huddlestone (suspension) are unavailable.

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Manchester City have been beaten just once in nine previous Premier League games against Hull City, a 1-2 loss in February 2010 (W5 D3).

Hull City's last win in any competition away at Manchester City was in the FA Cup in February 1930, drawing three and losing seven since then.

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Since earning three points in their first away game of the season (2-0 at Swansea City), Hull City have won just two points in 14 Premier League away games since (D2 L12).

Manchester City have lost only one of their last 17 Premier League games at the Etihad Stadium (W9 D7 L1), with that defeat coming at the hands of league leaders Chelsea in December.

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Sergio Aguero has scored 25 goals in his last 30 Premier League appearances at the Etihad Stadium. The Argentine averages a goal every 99 minutes on home soil in the Premier League.

Since Silva was appointed at Hull on January 5, the Tigers have won 17 points in the Premier League - only Chelsea (23), Spurs (23) and Everton (21) have won more in this period. This is one more than Man City (16) since then, but they have played one more game.

Guardiola has suffered six league defeats as Manchester City boss this season - his highest tally in a single league season as a manager.

Paul Merson's prediction

Man City need a win now because the pressure is on to finish in the top four. This is a must-win for Guardiola's side and, while Hull have been good at home, they often struggle away.

But I don't see them getting anything at the Etihad, City will have too much for them.

Paul predicts: 3-0 (6/1 with Sky Bet)

Betting

Manchester City are just 1/5 with Sky Bet to secure the victory as Hull go up against odds of 12/1 for the win, while the draw is priced at 11/2.

Guardiola's men have, however, been written off in the title race at 150/1 following their loss at Chelsea, while the Tigers drifted out to 11/8 to face relegation following Wednesday's win over Middlesbrough.

Aguero is the 9/4 favourite in the first goalscorer betting and is just 4/1 for a hat-trick, while Oumar Niasse is considered the visitors' main threat at 12/1 to net first.

Man City v Hull is included in this weekend's Super 6 line-up, with £250,000 up for grabs for simply predicting the six correct scores. Enter your selections here.

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