Hull City vs West Ham United. Premier League.
MKM StadiumAttendance20,820.
Saturday 1 April 2017 15:18, UK
Hull City will look to preserve their unbeaten home record under new boss Marco Silva against West Ham on Saturday.
Silva has yet to taste defeat at the KCOM Stadium in six games across all competitions, including wins against Swansea City and Liverpool.
Despite this run, Hull remain firmly in relegation trouble, sitting 18th in the Premier League - three points adrift of safety.
West Ham come into the game 16 points worse off than they were after 29 Premier League games last season and the pressure seems to be growing on Slaven Bilic, who has overseen three defeats on the spin.
However, there have been positive performances on the road, where they've scored 23 league goals this season - only three Premier League teams have scored more.
Hull skipper Michael Dawson could return to the squad.
Centre-half Dawson, sidelined since early February, returned to full training on Wednesday and could be included in head coach Silva's plans, but midfielder Tom Huddlestone starts a three-game ban.
Silva will make a late decision on whether to include striker Abel Hernandez, who only returned from international duty with Uruguay on Friday, while midfielder Evandro is still out with a calf injury.
West Ham are without Michail Antonio, Winston Reid and Pedro Obiang for the trip to east Yorkshire.
Winger Antonio is close to recovering from a hamstring problem but will not be ready, defender Reid is out a month with a thigh injury and midfielder Obiang will miss the rest of the season after undergoing ankle surgery during the international break.
But skipper Mark Noble is poised to return to the squad after missing the defeat by Leicester a fortnight ago with a dead leg.
Hull City have never lost a home Premier League match against the Hammers (W2 D2) - but West Ham are unbeaten in their last four Premier League clashes with the Tigers (W3 D1), keeping a clean sheet in the last two.
West Ham's last seven Premier League goals against Hull have all come in the second half of games.
Robert Snodgrass - who joined West Ham from Hull in January - is still the Tigers' top scoring player this season in the Premier League (7).
Silva hasn't lost a home league match as a manager in over three years. His last home defeat in league competition was for Estoril against Rio Ave on March 30, 2014 - since then he has gone 38 league games on home turf without a loss (W31 D7 L0) with four clubs (Estoril, Sporting, Olympiacos and Hull).
West Ham players have cumulatively made 10 errors leading to opposition goals in the Premier League this season; more than any other side.
Andy Carroll has played the full 90 minutes in each of West Ham's last three Premier League games - he hasn't done this in four successive games in the competition since April 2014.
The Hammers have conceded more goals in the opening 15 minutes of matches this season than any other team in the Premier League (8).
Hull have conceded the most goals in the final 15 minutes of Premier League matches this season in the Premier League (20).
Andre Ayew has had a hand in a goal in each of his last four Premier League appearances (three goals, one assist), despite playing just 173 of a possible 360 minutes in these games.
These two clubs have given away the most penalties in the Premier League this season - Hull City (11) and West Ham (8).
This should be a good game. West Ham haven't been great, though they are better away from home. I just think Hull have to win this game, they've got two games at home in the space of a few games, and they need to get six points from these two games.
Silva started off well, in games where the pressure was on, but the pressure will double and triple now. Hull have to win this.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1, 17/2 with Sky Bet
An important game for both teams with third-bottom Hull City 7/5 chances at Sky Bet to pick up a vital three points as they look to boost their survival hopes in the Premier League. Silva side have lost three out of their last five but are seven games unbeaten in all competitions at the KCOM Stadium.
The Hammers have dipped in form recently and lost three on the trot but are 19/10 to get back on track with a win while the draw can be backed at 12/5.
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