Hull City vs West Bromwich Albion. Premier League.
MKM StadiumAttendance18,086.
Saturday 26 November 2016 14:59, UK
West Brom could be buoyed by the return of club-record signing Nacer Chadli as they look to keep up momentum in the Premier League when they face relegation candidates Hull on Saturday.
West Brom have won their last two league matches, including a convincing 4-0 win over Burnley on Monday Night Football which lifted them to ninth in the Premier League table. The return of Chadli from a minor knee injury could further boost their in-form forward line.
Mike Phelan's Hull are struggling in 18th place having lost eight of their 12 league matches and have won just three. Their last match was a heavy 3-0 loss to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, with the Tigers' last win coming against Southampton on November 6.
Team news
Hull pair Adama Diomande and Andrew Robertson will both return to contention for the game.
Striker Diomande has served a three-game ban, while Scotland international defender Robertson has been sidelined for six weeks due to a calf injury.
Boss Mike Phelan, who has no other new injury or suspension concerns, must decide whether to stick with teenage defender Josh Tymon, who could make his home league debut after starting in last week's defeat at Sunderland.
Chadli, West Brom's £13m summer signing from Tottenham, has missed the two matches either side of the international break after undergoing minor knee surgery. He has resumed training and Baggies boss Tony Pulis will make a late decision about whether he travels.
Pulis has a couple of unnamed players nursing knocks following Monday's win over Burnley while goalkeeper Boaz Myhill (ankle) and striker Saido Berahino, who is still considered short of match fitness by Pulis, remain out.
Opta stats
Hull City have yet to lose against West Brom in the Premier League at the KCOM Stadium (W1 D2), keeping a clean sheet in the last two meetings.
Pulis has won his last three Premier League matches against Hull, all with different teams (Stoke in April 2010, Crystal Palace in January 2014 and WBA in January 2015).
Hull City won more points in their first two Premier League games this season (six - W2 D0 L0) than they have in their 10 league matches since (four - W1 D1 L8).
West Brom have won their last two Premier League matches and have the chance to secure three in a row for the first time under Pulis. The last time that won three successive league games was back in November 2012 under Steve Clarke (four in a row).
Salomon Rondon has been involved in 17 Premier League goals since the start of last season (13 goals, four assists) - more than double the number of any other WBA player in this period.
West Brom have averaged the lowest possession figure in the Premier League so far this season (36.7%) and were the bottom team in this ranking in 2015-16 as well (39.4%).
In their 68 Premier League matches under Pulis, WBA have only had more possession than their opponents on seven occasions. In fact, their last 17 Premier League games have seen their opponents hold more possession.
Hull City have conceded 24 goals in their last eight Premier League matches, the same tally that West Brom have conceded in their last 18 games in the competition.
Matt Phillips has provided both a goal and an assist in each of his last two Premier League appearances for West Bromwich Albion.
Only six players have played in all 50 Premier League games possible since the start of 2015-16 and two of these are West Bromwich Albion players (Craig Dawson and Darren Fletcher).
Hull haven't scored a goal before the 34th minute in the Premier League this season and are one of two sides yet to net in the opening half hour of a match in 2016-17 (along with Sunderland).
Merson's prediction
Well, Hull had a shocking result against Sunderland. After the first 25 minutes, they probably should have been in front and they started well but after that there was only one winner.
West Brom are doing very well under Pulis. They had a good result last week and they beat Leicester away too.
I'm going to go for a draw. I think Hull need to win this game but West Brom have got enough to hold them off.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-1 (Sky Bet odds 9/2)
Betting
West Brom are Sky Bet's 6/4 favourites with Hull 2/1 outsiders despite home advantage, while the draw is priced at 21/10.
The Tigers currently head the relegation betting at just 2/5 to face the drop, while their visitors were pushed out to 11/1 following their Monday Night Football thumping of Burnley.
Rondon heads the first goalscorer betting at 5/1 while Robert Snodgrass is considered the hosts' main threat at 13/2.
