30.1.2018.

PICK OF THE DAY

Hull - Leeds

Tip : GG (both to score)

Odd : 1.85

FT : ??

This is a fixture that will have a bearing on things at both ends of the table. On immediate inspection it’s perhaps surprising to see struggling Hull as the clear favourites here but there are several justifiable reasons which make that the case and it’s a good opportunity for them to put some much needed points on the board.

Leeds will make the trip to Humberside without no fewer than four suspended players. It’s hard not to feel like they’ve really shot themselves in the foot in recent weeks, with a series of moments of indiscretion and downright stupidity. They were already looking like one of those teams that would be in the mix but far from guaranteed a play-off place and those moments of indiscipline may end up costing them dear.

Since winning at Burton on Boxing Day, Leeds’ five games have produced four defeats and a draw. What’s more, they really haven’t had a tough run of fixtures with Birmingham, Ipswich and Millwall all taking maximum points off them in the league. They’ve been reduced to 10 men in the 37th minute in each of their last two Championship matches and they will need to keep their cool here in what is a local derby of sorts.

Given Leeds’ problems, Hull will now view this as a game they should perhaps be winning. Frustratingly for Nigel Adkins though, their two wins so far in 2018 have both come in the FA Cup and it’s just 1 win in 15 league games now for the Tigers.

They can at least take heart from an average of 2.14 goals per home game this term. They’ve netted twice or more in 7 of their last 10 matches at the KCOM and there looks to be value in backing Hull Over 1.5 Team Goals here, especially given the selection issues the visitors will be dealing with.

Hull though, pretty rarely deal in clean sheets. They conceded in 82% of their league games this term, while a huge 79% of their home games have seen both teams score. Given Leeds have scored in 71% of their away league games this term, there looks to be sense in going for Both Teams to Score too in this one.

In terms of the scoreline, it might be worth going for one of the longer shots with matches at the KCOM regularly producing plenty of goals. Given Leeds shipped 4 at home to a typically poor travelling Millwall side last time out, consider backing Hull to Win 3-1 and end their wait for a Championship win.